MXene based Janus fabrics with radiative heating towards efficient personal thermal management

Smart textiles for personal thermal management achieved by regulating multi-wavelength radiative characteristics of fabrics are highly demanded since they are potentially energy efficient, convenient and even fashionable. Herein, we report a Janus fabric for radiative heating by taking full advantages of MXene's dual characteristics of ultralow mid-infrared emission and high photothermal conversion ability. After brush-coating a MXene layer on one side of a commercial polyamide fabric substrate, the Janus fabric enables 3.4 degrees C temperature increase of the simulated skin by suppressing body radiation loss. Meanwhile, the Janus fabric demonstrates superior photothermal conversion efficiency (13%) and photothermal heating performance, achieving 14.2 degrees C temperature increase under one sun irradiation. By virtue of the robust substrate and lightweight coating, the Janus fabric possesses satisfactory wearability (i.e., mechanical strength, flexibility, permeability), making the fabric be able to heat human body in practical uses. The efficient and durable Janus fabric provides a great potential of future all-day personal thermal management fabrics which can be applied in wide scenarios.

Automated summary

Smart textiles that regulate the multi-wavelength radiative characteristics of fabrics are in high demand due to their potential energy efficiency, convenience, and fashionability. A Janus fabric is presented in this study, using MXene's dual properties of ultralow mid-infrared emission and high photothermal conversion ability for radiative heating. By brush-coating a MXene layer on one side of a commercial polyamide fabric substrate, the Janus fabric suppresses body radiation loss and increases the simulated skin temperature by 3.4 degrees C. With a photothermal conversion efficiency of 13% and excellent photothermal heating performance, the Janus fabric achieves a temperature increase of 14.2 degrees C under one sun irradiation. The Janus fabric, with its robust substrate and lightweight coating, maintains satisfactory wearability, making it suitable for practical applications in heating the human body. This efficient and durable Janus fabric offers great potential for all-day personal thermal management fabrics in various scenarios.