17. Material Research #2 Conductive Thread, Paint, and Tape

This blog post is mainly research into what kinds of materials I can use in my "heart". Since I aim to make it at least semi-translucent, wires might show through and won't look very nice or realistic underneath the silicone "flesh". The first material we're looking at is Conductive Thread. 

Suggested by Julian, Conductive thread is basically thread that can conduct electricity. Sparkfun sells two varieties - Silver (coated) and Stainless Steel. The Silver type is coated over nylon thread. This makes it incompatible with solder, since the nylon core will melt. The Stainless Steel type is apparently harder to work with, but is compatible with solder. If I use conductive thread, I will need to be careful of points where the thread might touch since they are uncoated. It does impart a cool shiny look onto the inside of the heart, which might be visually appealing. Since I won't need my material to have a high tensile strength as I'm not sewing it onto fabric, I probably won't end up using it though. Also 60g of the Stainless Steel thread is $42, so..
Credit: Sparkfun

Moving on, there's always good old Copper Tape. More commonly available, it comes in two varieties - conductive adhesive (conducts on both sides) and non-conductive adhesive (only connects stably on top, less reliable on the adhesive side). I might get a roll of this to try out due to the relatively low cost ($10 can get you a fair bit of it). I have no idea how well it might stick on the curved silicone, however, since I do not have a flat surface for it to attach on. Might need to improvise methods to keep it staying in one place. 

Credit: Chibitronics
Finally, conductive paint is an interesting option. Usually created by infusing graphite or another conductive material into paint, conductive paint can potentially be painted onto my project. however, I've only seen conductive paint in black, so it will be a rather interesting look to have black veins on my heart. 10ml of this (a pretty small tube admittedly) can be purchased off amazon for about 8 pounds. 
Credit: Bare conductive
Currently my top option is conductive tape, due to the cost and availability. Should probably talk to tutors to see if other things might also work with my project. 

Bibliography:
Bare Conductive (2016) What Is Electric Paint [online] Available at: 
https://www.bareconductive.com/make/what-is-electric-paint/ [Accessed 30 Dec. 2018]

Chibitronics (2014) Getting Started with Copper Tape [online] Available at: https://chibitronics.com/copper-tape-tutorial/ [Accessed 28 Dec. 2018]

Sparkfun (nd.d) Sewing with Conductive Thread [online] Available at: https://learn.sparkfun.com/tutorials/sewing-with-conductive-thread [Accessed 30 Dec. 2018]

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