Material for use with a capacitive touch screen

Abstract

A modified material for use with a capacitive touch screen is described. The modified material comprises a material impregnated with a composition comprising either a non-metallic and/or a metallic conductive agent with a binder. A variety of materials are contemplated, including, but not limited to leather. Also described is an apparatus and method of providing a conductive glove is disclosed.

1 . An electrically-conductive modified material adapted for interacting with a touch screen device, the modified material comprising:
 a leather material, wherein the leather material is a colloid material comprising a plurality of fibers dispersed therewithin;   an electrically conductive agent; and   a binder material;   wherein at least a portion of the leather material is impregnated with the electrically conductive agent and the binder to provide electrical conductivity in the modified material, wherein the modified material comprises at least about 30% electrically conductive agent;   wherein the modified material has a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 6  ohm-cm;   wherein the modified material, when formed into an object for interacting with the touch screen device, has an effective capacitance of greater than 10.0 pico-Farads (pF); and   wherein the electrical conductivity and the capacitance of the modified material make the modified material capable of capacitively coupling to the touch screen device.   
     
     
         2 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is selected from the group consisting of: carbon black, carbon nanotubes, graphite, PEDOT, silver, copper, gold, nickel, aluminum, indium, zinc, tin, and combinations thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is loaded onto the plurality of fibers located within the leather material through ionic bonding. 
     
     
         4 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the plurality of fibers located within the leather material are collagen fibers. 
     
     
         5 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein at least some of the plurality of fibers in the leather material comprise a fiber chain. 
     
     
         6 . The modified material of  claim 5 , wherein the fiber chain has a length of at least 100 nanometers. 
     
     
         7 . The modified material of  claim 6 , wherein the at least some of the plurality of fibers comprising the fiber chain overlap in such a manner that the modified material can withstand tensile, compressive, or shear strains without suffering significant loss of the electrical conductivity in the modified material. 
     
     
         8 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is substantially homogenously dispersed or suspended within the binder material. 
     
     
         9 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the electrically conductive agent is cured into the modified material. 
     
     
         10 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material retains a volume resistivity of less than about 1.0×10 5  ohm-cm after the modified material is in its finished form. 
     
     
         11 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material further comprises a base coat, a color coat, a midcoat, and/or a finishing coat. 
     
     
         12 . The modified material of  claim 1 , wherein the modified material further comprises aqueous polyether polyurethanes, solvent-borne polyether/poly ester, aqueous acrylics, styrene butadiene rubber, nitrocellulose lacquers and water emulsions, cellulose acetate butyrate lacquers and water emulsions, shellac, epoxy, polyvinyl chloride, oils, waxes, silicones, and/or combinations thereof.