The research and applications of fiber materials are directly related to the daily life of social populace and the development of relevant revolutionary manufacturing industry. However, the conventional fibers and fiber products can no longer meet the requirements of automation and intellectualization in modern society, as well as people’s consumption needs in pursuit of smart, avant-grade, fashion and distinctiveness. The advanced fiber-shaped electronics with most desired designability and integration features have been explored and developed intensively during the last few years. The advanced fiber-based products such as wearable electronics and smart clothing can be employed as the second skin to enhance information exchange between humans and the external environment. In this review, the significant progress on flexible fiber-shaped multifunctional devices, including fiber-based energy harvesting devices, energy storage devices, chromatic devices, and actuators are discussed. Particularly, the fabrication procedures and application characteristics of multifunctional fiber devices such as fiber-shaped solar cells, lithium-ion batteries, actuators and electrochromic fibers are introduced in detail. Finally, we provide our perspectives on the challenges and future development of functional fiber-shaped devices.

Electrospun nanofibers hold a great potential in biomedical applications due to their advantages of large specific surface area, good biocompatibility, easy fabrication and surface modification. In particular, organic/inorganic hybrid nanofibers exhibit enhanced mechanical properties and long-term sustained release or controlled release profile of encapsulated drugs, which enables hybrid nanofibers to serve as desired platform for drug delivery and tissue engineering applications. This review summarizes the recent progresses in the preparation, performances and applications of hybrid nanofibers as drug delivery vectors for antibacterial and antitumor therapy, and as nanofibrous scaffolds for bone tissue engineering or other types of tissue engineering applications. Nanofibers doped with various types of inorganic nanoparticles (e.g., halloysite, laponite^®, nano-hydroxyapatite, attapulgite, carbon nanotubes, and graphene, etc.) are introduced and summarized in detail. Future perspectives are also briefly discussed.

Thermal management of textiles requires local microclimate control over heat and wet dissipation to create a comfortable thermal-wet environment at the interface of the human body and clothing. Herein, we design a fabric capable of both sweat- and cooling-management using a knitted fabric featuring a bilayer structure consisting of hydrophobic polyethylene terephthalate and hydrophilic cellulose fibers to simultaneously achieve high infrared (IR) transmittance and good thermal-wet comfort. The IR transmission of this cooling textile increased by ~ twofold in the dry state and ~ eightfold in the wet state compared to conventional cotton fabric. When the porosity changes from 10 to 47% with the comparison of conventional cotton fabric and our cooling textile, the heat flux is increased from 74.4 to 152.3 W/cm². The cooling effect of the cooling fabric is 105% greater than that of commercial cotton fabric, which displays a better thermal management capacity for personal cooling. This bilayer design controls fast moisture transfer from inside out and provides thermal management, demonstrating high impact not only for garments, but also for other systems requiring heat regulation, such as buildings, which could mitigate energy demand and ultimately contribute to the relief of global energy and climate issues.

Solid electrolytes have gained attention recently for the development of next-generation Li-ion batteries since they can fundamentally improve the battery stability and safety. Among various types of solid electrolytes, composite solid electrolytes (CSEs) exhibit both high ionic conductivity and excellent interfacial contact with the electrodes. Incorporating active nanofibers into the polymer matrix demonstrates an effective method to fabricate CSEs. However, current CSEs based on traditional poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) polymer suffer from the poor ionic conductivity of PEO and agglomeration effect of inorganic fillers at high concentrations, which limit further improvements in Li⁺ conductivity and electrochemical stability. Herein, we synthesize a novel PEO based cross-linked polymer (CLP) as the polymer matrix with naturally amorphous structure and high room-temperature ionic conductivity of 2.40 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹. Li_0.3La_0.557TiO₃ (LLTO) nanofibers are incorporated into the CLP matrix to form composite solid electrolytes, achieving enhanced ionic conductivity without showing filler agglomeration. The high content of Li-conductive nanofibers improves the mechanical strength, ensures the conductive network, and increases the total Li⁺ conductivity to 3.31 × 10⁻⁴ S cm⁻¹. The all-solid-state Li|LiFePO4 batteries with LLTO nanofiber-incorporated CSEs are able to deliver attractive specific capacity of 147 mAh g⁻¹ at room temperature, and no evident dendrite is found at the anode/electrolyte interface after 100 cycles.

A highly ionic-conductive 3-D fiber network composite solid electrolyte is introduced based on Li-ion conducting nanofibers and amorphous poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) cross-linked polymer. With the reinforcement of Li_0.3La_0.557TiO₃ (LLTO) nanofibers, the continuous 3D conduction network formed within the polymer matrix greatly enhances the electrochemical and mechanical properties of resultant composite solid electrolytes. Consequently, the lithium dendrite is effectively controlled after long cycles, and the all-solid-state Li|LiFePO₄ prototype cells demonstrate excellent cycling stability at room temperature.

Elastic, repairable and conductive fibers are desirable in the newly emerging field of soft electronic and wearable devices. Here, we design a multifunctional fiber by incorporation of different components to optimize its performance. The combination of the poly(acrylic acid) (PAA) and poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) through hydrogen bonding endows the fiber with high elasticity and repairability. Polydopamine (PDA) significantly increases the stability of the fiber, thus the fiber will not dissolve in alkaline solutions and still keep the repairable ability. The fiber shows a reversible swelling-shrinking property as pH values go up and down. Further, the conductive component, carbon nanotube, is adsorbed at the swelling state and then is fastened with fiber shrinking.

Air pollutants, which are composed of diverse components such as particulate matter (PM), volatile organic compounds (VOCs), nitrogen oxides (NO_x), sulfur dioxide (SO₂), and pathogenic microorganisms, have adverse effects on both the ecosystem and human health. While existing air purification technologies can effectively eliminate these pollutants through multiple processes targeting specific components, they often entail high energy consumption, maintenance costs, and complexity. Recent developments in air purification technology based on multifunctional nanofibrous membranes present a promising single-step solution for the effective removal of diverse air pollutants. Through synergistic integration with functional materials, other functional materials, such as those with catalytic, adsorption, and antimicrobial properties, can be incorporated into nanofibrous membranes. In this review, the design concepts and fabrication strategies of multifunctional nanofibrous membranes to facilitate the integrated removal of multiple air pollutants are explored. Additionally, nanofibrous membrane preparation methods, PM removal mechanisms, and performance metrics are introduced. Next, methods for removing various air pollutants are outlined, and different air purification materials are reviewed. Finally, the design approaches and the state-of-the-art of multifunctional nanofibrous membranes for integrated air purification are highlighted.

Osteoporosis is a degenerative disease caused by an imbalance between osteoblast and osteoclast activity. Repairing osteoporotic bone defects is challenging due to decreased osteogenesis, increased osteoclast activity, and impaired angiogenesis. To address this challenge, a novel scaffold, inspired by the structure of multilayer fishing nets, is developed through a combination of template-assisted electrospinning and advanced three-dimensional (3D) printing technologies. The 3D nanofiber scaffold exhibits a hierarchical porous architecture. This design maintains the high specific surface area and extracellular matrix (ECM) mimicry of the nanofiber membrane. Additionally, the sparsely distributed nanofibers within the mesh-like structure facilitate cell infiltration. This unique topological configuration, particularly the strontium-hydroxyapatite (Sr-HAp)-enriched polycaprolactone/silk fibroin nanofibers, plays a critical role in synergistically promoting angiogenesis, enhancing osteogenesis, and suppressing osteoclast differentiation. In an osteoporotic cranial bone defect model, the scaffold demonstrates an exceptional repair efficiency of nearly 100% within 8 weeks, marked by significant new bone formation throughout the implanted area. In conclusion, our approach, which leverages intricate biomimicry and strategic active ion release, emerges as a highly promising strategy for repairing osteoporotic bone defects.

Integrating passive radiative cooling techniques with wearable fabrics provides a zero-energy strategy for preventing people from heat stress and reducing cooling demand. However, developing wearable passive radiative cooling fabrics with ideal optical characteristics, wearability, and scalability has consistently presented a challenge. Here, we developed a metafabric with high sunlight reflectivity (88.07%) according to the design of an individual photonic structure, which demonstrates total internal reflection with the tailored triangular light track. A skin simulator covered by metafabric exhibits a temperature drop of 7.17 °C in the daytime compared with regular polyester fabric in an outdoor cooling test. Consequently, it was theoretically proven to exert a substantial influence on achieving a significant cooling demand reduction of 52.69–185.79 W·m⁻². These characteristics, coupled with structural stability, air-moisture permeability, sufficient wearability, and scalability, allowed the metafabric to provide a solution for introducing zero-energy passive radiative cooling technique into human body cooling.

To mitigate secondary damage from traditional wound dressing removals, this study pioneers an intelligent wound dressing method using a dual-modality sensor for non-invasive, real-time monitoring of the healing process. Harnessing the skin’s architectural blueprint, the dressing employs a three-layered structure with asymmetric wettability, fabricated via advanced electrospinning and screen printing techniques. Central to this design is the MXene@Sodium alginate (SA)/Polylactic acid (PLA) humidity sensor, mimicking a dermal environment with exceptional sensitivity (99%) and response time (0.6 s), ensuring sustained performance over 28 days. A chitosan sponge (CS) layer, incorporated by freeze-drying, optimizes exudate management and expedites healing. The outer layer, a hydrophobic PLA@Ag₃PO₄ membrane, offers robust antimicrobial efficacy by eliminating 99.99% of bacterial presence. Functionally, this outer skin analog doubles as an ultra-sensitive capacitive-type pressure sensor (199.22 kPa⁻¹), with impressive durability over numerous cycles (1500 cycles), capturing subtle pressure fluctuations as wounds heal. In vivo results show that the dressing can prevent infection, accelerate angiogenesis and epithelial regeneration, and significantly accelerate the healing of open wounds. Integrated with a flexible sensing unit, control circuitry, and bluetooth module, this intelligent dressing paradigm articulates the nuances of wound healing dynamics, heralding a new era in smart healthcare applications.

Inspired by human skin, a three-layer intelligent wound dressing has been developed that connects wirelessly via bluetooth, enabling real-time monitoring of both humidity and pressure at the wound site. This work holds promise for expanding the applications in the field of wound dressings and advancing intelligent healthcare solutions.

Silk fabric-based wearable electronics stand among the most effective materials for the electronic skin function, due to their flexibility, robust mechanical features, and bio-compatibility. However, the development of fabric sensors is restricted by limited resilience and the weak binding force of conductive materials to fabrics. Herein, a general strategy is developed for designing SF wearable devices with high elasticity and conductivity, combining the macroscopic design of three-dimensional SF structure, microscopic plasma-activated β-FeOOH scaffolds and in situ polymerized polypyrrole. Significantly, the fabric exhibits a maximum tensile strain of up to 30%, high conductivity (resistivity of 0.3 Ω·cm), fast response in sensing (50 ms), and excellent durability (> 1500 cycles). The possible mechanism of plasma activation of akaganeite scaffolds to produce zero-valent iron and induce pyrrole polymerization is analyzed. In addition, the e-textiles are demonstrated for personal-care management, including motion recognition, information interaction and electric heating. This work provides a novel guide to constructing advanced fabric-sensor devices capable of high conductivity and elasticity, which are expected to be applied in the fields of health monitoring, smart homes, and virtual reality interaction.

The three-dimensional conductive silk wearable devices (3D-CSWD) combine redesigning the fabric structure, employing plasma treatment to activate β-FeOOH scaffolds, and inducing in situ polymerization of polypyrrole. These fabric devices are capable of withstanding large mechanical stretching cycles and maintain high conductivity after washing, which can be used to monitor a wide range of human body motions, including pulse monitoring, breathing monitoring, swallowing actions, and wrist and finger bending movements. Furthermore, they can be used for electric heating and information exchange by transmitting morse code.

Cotton is a renewable bio-resource widely employed in human thermal management. However, it is required to further improve its cooling ability to address global warming issues posing serious threats to human activities. Herein, metacotton was produced by applying silica (SiO₂)/poly(vinylidene fluoride-hexafluoropropylene) composite aerogel onto the cotton surface via microstructure finishing using the traditional textile equipment. Next, scalable metacotton fabrics with passive radiative cooling effect were obtained by weaving. The aerogel microstructure of metacotton results in excellent passive cooling capability of the fabric and endows it with superhydrophobic, insulating, and breathing properties. The metacotton fabric realizes an average cooling of 8.8 °C during summer days, showing superior cooling performance compared to the standard cotton. Notably, the metacotton fabric exhibits superhydrophobic stain-removal and wash-resistant properties, enhancing passive cooling durability. Furthermore, the method used for fabricating metacotton in this study can be applied to other fibers as well, and it is scalable and adaptable across the conventional equipment, which broadens the thermal management range in the textile industry.

It is a worldwide challenge to achieve an efficient cleaning of heavy oil at ambient temperature. Conventional cleanup methods for high-viscosity oil spills exhibit low absorption efficiency and have severe practical operating limits. Herein, inspired by the passive transport process in the Salvinia cucullata, a solar-heated and joule-heated textile-based absorber using the scalable electrostatic flocking technique. Benefiting from the efficient photothermal and electrothermal conversion effects, the textile-based absorber, with oleophilic and aligned channels, facilitates thermal conduction and hence enhances heavy oil absorption. The absorber is highly efficient for organic solvents (chloroform and dichloromethane) and low-viscosity oils (silicone oil, gasoline, and diesel oil). The surface temperature of the textile absorber rises rapidly to 92 °C (114 °C) in 120 s (240 s) under one sun irradiation (or 5 V voltage), resulting in a sharp drop in the viscosity of the heavy oil and then achieving an ultrahigh absorption rate (2647 kg h⁻¹ m⁻²) and fast equilibrium time (25 s). Rapid absorption rate significantly reduces spill cleanup time and spill spreading area, hence alleviating the environmental harm caused by oil spills as much as possible. The proposed solar-heated and joule-heated textile-based absorbers with aligned channels show great potential for efficient heavy oil absorption.

Nociceptive-selective analgesia is often preferred over traditional methods, providing effective pain relief with minimum systemic side effects.The quaternary lidocaine derivative QX-314, is a promising local anesthetic for achieving selective analgesia. However, due to its inability to penetrate the cell membrane, its efficacy is limited to intracellular administration. In this study, we aimed to develop an injectable electrospun fiber-hydrogel composite comprising QX-314-loaded poly(ε-caprolactone) electrospun fiber and capsaicin (Cap)-loaded F127 hydrogel (Fiber-QX314/Gel-Cap composite) for long-term and nociceptive-selective analgesia. The sequential and sustained release mechanism of Cap and QX-314 helped remarkably extend the sensory blockade duration up to 44.0 h, and prevent motor blockade. Specifically, our findings indicated that QX-314 can traverse the cell membrane through the transient receptor potential vanilloid 1 channel activated by Cap, thus targeting the intracellular Na⁺ channel receptor to achieve selective analgesia. Moreover, the composite effectively alleviated incision pain by suppressing c-Fos expression in the dorsal root ganglion and reducing the activation of glial cells in the dorsal horn of the spinal cord. Consequently, the Fiber-QX314/Gel-Cap composite, designed for exceptional biosafety and sustained selective analgesia, holds great promise as a non-opioid analgesic.

Injectable composite comprising QX-314-loaded electrospun fiber and capsaicin-loaded thermosensitive hydrogel sequentially releasing drugs for prolonged and nociceptive-selective local analgesia.

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The development of biomimetic scaffolds that can promote osteogenic induction and vascularization is of great importance for the repair of large bone defects. In the present study, inorganic bioactive glass (BG) and organic polycaprolactone (PCL) are effectively combined by electrospinning and electrospray techniques to construct three-dimensional (3D) BG/PCL microfibrous spheres for the repair of bulk bone defects. The hybrid fibers, as well as the as-obtained 3D structure, can mimic the composition and architecture of native bone tissues. Furthermore, the BG/PCL microfibrous spheres show excellent biocompatibility and provide sufficient space and attachment sites for cell growth. The osteogenic differentiation of bone mesenchymal stem cells is also effectively facilitated when cultured on such hybrid microfibrous spheres. In vivo investigation utilizing rat femoral condyle bone defect models demonstrates that the BG/PCL microfibrous spheres loaded with bone mesenchymal stem cells can induce angiogenesis and promote the upregulation of bone-related protein expression, thus effectively facilitating bone regeneration at the defect site. The collective findings indicate that such BG/PCL hybrid microfibrous spheres have the potential to be effective carriers of stem cells. The microfibrous spheres loaded with stem cells have promising potential to be utilized as implantable biomaterials for the repair of bone defects.

Excess biological fluids around skin wounds can lead to infections and impede the healing process. Researchers have extensively studied dressings with varying water contents for wound care. However, hydrophilic and hydrophobic-hydrophilic dressings often face challenges such as slow fluid transfer and excessive retention. This study introduces an innovative approach involving the use of superhydrophobic–hydrophobic–hydrophilic dual-gradient electrospun nanofibers to form a 3D biomimetic nanofiber scaffold (3D BNSF). The 3D BNSF is composed of hydrophobic polycaprolactone and thermoplastic polyurethane, along with antibacterial, superhydrophobic nano-chitin particles. In vitro and in vivo experiments have demonstrated that this scaffold exhibits excellent antibacterial properties and compatibility with cells, facilitating complete wound healing and regeneration. This study offers a new perspective on the targeted acceleration of wound healing, with the potential to become an alternative strategy for clinical applications.

Alternating current electroluminescent (ACEL) fibers with wearable characteristics, such as flexibility, light weight, stitchability and comfort, are emerging in textile displays for daily applications. To construct efficient ACEL fibers, a judiciously designed and low-cost electrode is also extremely important but seems to receive less attention. Inspired by fiber dyeing, we propose a method that employs non-noble metals to design fiber electrodes by constructing microconductive channels inside commercial fibers. This method relies on the window period formed by the glass transition temperature of the PAN fibers, which is sufficiently flexible to extend to mass production at a low cost (approximately US$ 1.86/kg). The resulting ACEL fibers interwoven with a transparent fiber electrode formed a textile display with an acceptable luminescence performance of 46 cd·m⁻² (160 V). Notably, a visual feedback e-textile (VFET) was constructed by integrating fiber sensors, which demonstrates the concept of wearable real-time visual monitoring and interaction. Compared with their individual counterparts, VFET has been conveniently and efficiently for visual monitoring, communication, and interaction, i.e., the visualization of physiological parameters (heartbeat, respiration, etc.) and nonverbal communications (literal or cryptographic) for special groups and specific scenes.

Non-noble metal electroluminescent (EL) fibers and accessible, sensitive, and flexible visual feedback e-textiles (VFET) capable of being integrated into smart clothing and wearable devices are proposed in this work

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Peripheral nerve defects present complex orthopedic challenges with limited efficacy of clinical interventions. The inadequate proliferation and dysfunction of Schwann cells within the nerve scaffold impede the effectiveness of nerve repair. Our previous studies suggested the effectiveness of a magnesium-encapsulated bioactive hydrogel in repairing nerve defects. However, its rapid release of magnesium ions limited its efficacy to long-term nerve regeneration, and its molecular mechanism remains unclear. This study utilized electrospinning technology to fabricate a MgO/MgCO₃/polycaprolactone (PCL) multi-gradient nanofiber membrane for peripheral nerve regeneration. Our findings indicated that by carefully adjusting the concentration or proportion of rapidly degradable MgO and slowly degradable MgCO₃, as well as the number of electrospun layers, the multi-gradient scaffold effectively sustained the release of Mg²⁺ over a period of 6 weeks. Additionally, this study provided insight into the mechanism of Mg²⁺-induced nerve regeneration and confirmed that Mg²⁺ effectively promoted Schwann cell proliferation, migration, and transition to a repair phenotype. By employing transcriptome sequencing technology, the study identified the Wingless/integrase-1 (Wnt) signaling pathway as a crucial mechanism influencing Schwann cell function during nerve regeneration. After implantation in 10 mm critically sized nerve defects in rats, the MgO/MgCO₃/PCL multi-gradient nanofiber combined with a 3D-engineered PCL nerve conduit showed enhanced axonal regeneration, remyelination, and reinnervation of muscle tissue 12 weeks post-surgery. In conclusion, this study successfully developed an innovative multi-gradient long-acting MgO/MgCO₃/PCL nanofiber with a tunable Mg²⁺ release property, which underscored the molecular mechanism of magnesium-encapsulated biomaterials in treating nervous system diseases and established a robust theoretical foundation for future clinical translation.

The high impedance caused by the lack of interfacial hydrogel in dry electrodes seriously affects the quality of acquired electrophysiological signals. Although there are existing strategies to reduce impedance with micro–nanostructures, achieving stretchable and breathable electrodes while ensuring low impedance is extremely challenging. Herein, we successfully prepared a dry textile electrode (nanomesh film (NF)-ZnO–polypyrrole (PPy)) with low impedance, high stretchability, and breathability. Wrinkle-nanorod coupled microstructures are constructed to increase the effective surface area and roughness of NF-ZnO–PPy electrode, achieving an exponential reduction in impedance compared with the smooth textile dry electrode (15.64 kΩ·cm⁻² at 10 Hz, approximately 1/6 of the lowest impedance of reported electrodes). Simultaneously, the wrinkled structure formed by pre-stretching improves electrode’s stretchability (up to 910% strain) and cycle stability (R/R₀ is within 1.08 after 1000 cycles at 30% strain). Furthermore, the NF-ZnO–PPy electrode has excellent breathability (2233.52 g·m⁻²·d⁻¹) and good biocompatibility. Finally, as a proof of concept, the 16-channel NF-ZnO–PPy electrode can record electromyography signals in different states and parts of body for a long time ((22.03 ± 0.76) dB, which is twice that of the commercial electrode). Notably, we employ ZnO nanorods as a template to reduce impedance. This template strategy overcomes complex and expensive micro–nanomanufacturing technologies (photolithography, laser processing, etc.) and can be suitable for most flexible substrates, showing great potential in the field of soft electronics.

Harvesting fog composed of differently charged droplets offers a potential solution to freshwater crises. Leveraging electrostatic attraction between charged surfaces and droplets to enhance capture efficiency represents an efficacious approach for achieving efficient fog harvesting. However, existing strategies to enhance electrostatic attraction by introducing charges on the surface pose persistence challenges. Here, an asymmetric wettability polyacrylonitrile (PAN) fiber (named Janus-PAN) with stable high surface potential via in-situ molecular confined modification is proposed for fog harvesting. By coupling the high capture efficiency generated by persistent electrostatic interaction and the directional self-driven transport supported by wettability gradient, Janus-PAN achieves a water collection rate (WCR) of 1775 mg/cm²/h, which is 2.6 times higher than that of fibers with low surface potential and no wetting gradient. Moreover, the potential application of the Janus-PAN harp in agricultural irrigation is demonstrated. The previously unreported surface potential control strategy shown here can potentially upgrade the fiber-based fog harvesting materials.

The acute pain induced by clinical procedures, such as venipuncture, dental operations, and dermatological treatments, as well as postoperative pain, drives the advancement of anesthetic techniques aimed at alleviating discomfort. This situation underscores the ongoing significance of effective pain management strategies within the field of anesthesia. This paper presents an integrated iontophoresis (ITP)-driven fiber-based microneedle patch (IFMP) regulated by a smartphone for controllable, long-lasting lidocaine transdermal delivery. The IFMP integrates pure cotton fiber canvas-based dissolving microneedles (MNs) with ITP into a patch, with the MNs tips and gel layers significantly increasing the drug-loading capacity, achieving a one-step drug administration strategy of “dissolution, diffusion, and ITP.” Lidocaine is released via the microchannels of MNs by passive diffusion. Additionally, an electric current initiates active ITP for lidocaine delivery, creating synergy. User-requirement-based drug release by precisely modulating electrical signals in rat pain models is described herein. A smartphone application enables precise dosage control. It offers three different delivery modes: single-dose, pulse delivery, and sustained-release, ensuring rapid onset, and long-lasting pain relief. This versatility makes the system suitable for various pain conditions. The IFMP represents a promising system for patient-controlled local analgesia treatment, enabling active and long-term local self-controlled pain management in a safe and regulated manner.

The iontophoresis-driven fiber-based microneedle patch combines fiber-based dissolving microneedles with iontophoresis, facilitating controlled lidocaine release through diffusion and electrical activation for enhanced effect. Precise modulation of electrical signals allows user-requirement-based drug release in rat pain models. A smart application supports precise dosing in single-dose, pulse, or sustained-release modes, ensuring efficient and prolonged pain management.