Designing and large-scale production of woven aerogel fibers with superior thermal insulation and multifunctionality to meet human demand for warm textiles is a major challenge. In recent research, an encapsulated aerogel fiber that mimics the structure of polar bear hair has exhibited superior thermal insulation performance and mechanical strength. This innovation disrupts the current state of thermal insulation textiles, addresses the brittleness issue of aerogel fibers, and significantly enhances the processability of products. This study lays the groundwork for manufacturing efficient and sustainable thermal insulation textiles, which have immense potential in areas such as military attire and spacesuits in extreme cold environments.
An advance in the integration of high-performing semiconductors into fibers enables innovative fiber devices and fabric systems that sense, communicate and interact, paving the way for unprecedented applications in wearable technology, fabric computation, and ambient intelligence.
The development of wood adhesives using biomass resources holds significant importance for sustainable resource utilization and public health. Utilizing non-condensed lignin directly as a wood adhesive provides a new approach for the green, low-cost, and large-scale production of high-performance wood adhesives. This innovation has the potential to drive the green and low-carbon development of the wood/plant products industry.
Clothing plays a vital role in managing body temperature and ensuring optimal thermal comfort in our daily lives. A recent research article on Science highlights a groundbreaking development in the realm of intelligent thermoregulatory apparel—a self-sustaining, solar-powered garment designed to extend the range of thermal comfort throughout the entire day. This work marks a significant advancement in the field of smart textiles, showcasing the potential to enhance the adaptability of clothing in response to varying environmental conditions.
Wearable fiber-based lithium-ion batteries (LiBs) made with textile-like functional electrode materials are key to realizing smart energy options for powering wearable electronics. However, the process of attenuating the existing functional materials commonly used in planar and solid-state batteries to functional fiber or yarn electrodes tends to deteriorate the material performance when assembled into textile-based electrodes. In this work, we focus on understanding and enabling layered Ni-rich cathode material into a wearable cathode yarn. Layered Ni-rich cathode materials typically contain a higher proportion of Ni compared to other metals like Co and Mn, with a Li[Ni1−xMx]O2 (M = transition metal element, such as Mn, Al, Co, and so on) typical structure. They are increasingly gaining popularity in the research and development of LiBs as they offer several advantages, including higher energy density, improved cycle life, and reduced cost compared to many commercial cathode materials. Our fabricated flexible Ni-rich cathode yarn with an overall diameter of ~ 360 µm and a coating thickness of ~ 80 µm exhibited textile properties with promising mechanical strength and the ability to conform to any shape. When tested in a half-cell arrangement with Li metal as the counter electrode, the Ni-rich cathode yarn electrode showed stable cyclic performance with a discharge areal capacity of ~ 3 mAh/cm2 and an average coulombic efficiency of 99.5% at a 0.2 mA/cm2 current density. Overall, the results show that Ni-rich cathode materials, despite their layered structure, are integrateable into usable wearable textile LiBs.
Photocatalytic H2O2 synthesis (PHS) via graphite carbon nitride (g-C3N4) is a low-carbon and environmentally friendly approach, which has garnered tremendous attention. However, as for the pristine g-C3N4, the PHS is severely constrained by the slow transfer and rapid recombination of photogenerated carriers. Herein, we introduced cellulose-derived carbon nanofibers (CF) into the homojunction of g-C3N4 nanotubes (MCN) and g-C3N4 nanosheets (SCN). A series of photocatalytic results demonstrate that the embedding of cellulose-derived carbon for MCN/SCN/CF composite catalyst significantly improved the photocatalytic H2O2 generation (136.9 μmol·L−1·h−1) with 5-holds higher than that of individual MCN (27.5 μmol·L−1·h−1) without any sacrificial agent. This enhancement can be attributed to the combined effects of the two-step one-electron oxygen reduction reaction (ORR) on conduction band (CB) side and the water oxidation reaction (WOR) on valence band (VB) side. A comprehensive characterization of the mechanism indicates that CF enhances the absorption of light, promotes the separation and migration of photogenerated carriers, and regulates the position of the valence and conduction bands with an effective dual-channel ORR pathway for photo-synthesis of H2O2. This work provides valuable insights into utilizing biomass-based materials for significantly boosting photocatalytic H2O2 production.
An artificial withdrawal reflex arc that can realize neuromorphic tactile perception, neural coding, information processing, and real-time responses was fabricated at the device level without dependence on algorithms. As an extended application, the artificial reflex arc was used to perform an object-lifting task based on tactile commands, and it can easily lift a 200-g weight. A fiber-exploiting electro-optical synaptic transistor (FEST) was fabricated to emulate synaptic plasticity modulated by electrical or optical spikes. Due to an ultrahigh spike duration-dependent plasticity index (~ 12,651%), the FEST was applied in electro-optical encrypted communication tasks and effectively increased signal recognition accuracy. In addition, the FEST has excellent bending resistance (bending radii = 0.6–1.4 cm, bending cycles > 2000) and stable illumination responses for a wide range of incident angles (0°–360°), demonstrating its potential applicability in wearable electronics. This work presents new design strategies for complete artificial reflex arcs and wearable neuromorphic devices, which may have applications in bioinspired artificial intelligence, human–machine interaction, and neuroprosthetics.
Flexible pressure sensors have come under the spotlight because of their widespread adoption in human motion detection and human‒machine interactions. However, manufacturing pressure sensors with broad sensing ranges and large sensitivities continues to be a daunting task. Herein, a pressure sensor based on a gradient wrinkled electrospun polyurethane membrane with MXene-embedded ZnO nanowire arrays (ZAGW) was proposed. Under tiny pressure, dramatic increases in the contact area caused by interlocks of MXene-embedded ZnO nanowire arrays contributed to realizing a high sensitivity (236.5 kPa−1). Additionally, the wide-sensing range (0–260 kPa) came from the fact that a wrinkled membrane with a gradient contact height ensured a continuous contact area change by gradually activating contact wrinkles. Meanwhile, the contact states of the gradient wrinkled membrane at varying pressures were investigated to expound the sensing mechanism of the ZAGW sensor. These exceptional performances enabled the ZAGW sensor to have vast application potential in human motion monitoring and tactile sensing. Furthermore, the ZAGW sensor can be integrated into the sensor array to monitor the pressure distribution. Considering the outstanding performance, the combination of ZnO nanowire arrays and electrospun membrane gradient wrinkles provides an innovative avenue for future sensing research.
Refining the electromagnetic wave absorption characteristics of traditional metal–organic framework (MOF)-derived carbon composites remains a challenge because of their discontinuous conductive path. To overcome this limitation, in this work, MOF-derived hierarchical Cu9S5/C nanocomposite fibers are fabricated by electrospinning and subsequent carbonization-sulfurization process. Morphological analyses show that MOF-derived octahedral Cu9S5/C particles are evenly monodispersed inside carbonaceous fibers. This configuration creates a unique hierarchical structure, ranging from Cu9S5 particle embedding, MOF-derived skeleton, to a three-dimensional network. The optimized composite fibers (Cu9S5/C-40) exhibit extraordinary electromagnetic wave absorption performance at a low mass fraction (20 wt%): the minimum reflection loss value reaches − 69.6 dB, and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth achieves 5.81 GHz with an extremely thin thickness of only 1.83 mm. Systematic investigations demonstrate that constructing the three-dimensional conductive network to connect MOF derivatives is crucial for activating performance enhancement. The unique nano-micro hierarchical structure synergized with elaborate-configured components endows the materials with optimal impedance matching and amplifies the loss capacity of each part. This work provides a reliable example and theoretical guidance for fabricating new-generation high-efficiency MOF-derived fibrous electromagnetic wave absorbers.
Unpredictable pandemics are likely to pose a significant global threat in the future, and biologically protective textiles will play critical roles in controlling the spread of pathogens during outbreaks. Herein, we present a novel metal–organic framework (MOF) composed of repeating units of a Cu(II)/(L-Cys)2 complex formed through coordination bonds between Cu(II) and L-Cys, while being interconnected by ionic bonds involving Cu(II) and the carboxylate group of L-Cys. After covalently embedding the MOF nanofibers onto cotton fiber surfaces, the resulting fabrics exhibit remarkable virucidal and antibacterial capabilities. Remarkably, even after 200 friction or 50 laundering cycles, the high antiviral ability to inactivate all phi- × 174 within 10 min was maintained, and the bacterial reduction rate against E. coli and S. aureus remained nearly at 100%. The remarkable virucidal effect of the L-Cys@Cu MOF structure is elucidated through a series of α-amylase denaturation simulation tests, providing the first experimental demonstration of the antiviral mechanism, whereby MOF nanofibers induce protein denaturation to inactivate viruses. Moreover, cytotoxicity assessments confirm that the fabrics adorned with MOF nanofibers are safe for human skin. These advantages are promising for the development of protective textiles, highlighting the great potential of nanoscience in combating pandemics.
Limitations of current electronic textiles (e-textiles), including poor washability, instability, and inferior sensing capability, are concerns hindering their broad and practical applications in personal health care management, virtual games, sports, and more. Here, we report an RGO/PANI e-textile via alternative coatings of in situ reduced graphene oxides (RGO) and in situ polymerized polyaniline (PANI), establishing a laminated structure on a knitted textile substrate. As a result of an in situ lamination strategy, our e-textile exhibits excellent breathability (1428 mm s−1, greater than that of bare cotton fabric) and outstanding sensitivity (gage factor of 39.7) over a wide strain range (~ 0.0625–200%). Importantly, we observed exceptional sensing durability even after severe mechanical disturbance of stretching, bending, or twisting (> 1500 cycles) and daily machine washes. Detailed analysis revealed that our proposed in situ lamination approach enabled the physical and chemical interactions between sensing active materials and the textile substrate. Furthermore, the electromechanical behavior of our RGO/PANI e-textile was thoroughly analyzed based on an equivalent electrical circuit, which agreed well with the experimental data. Example applications of the e-textile were demonstrated for personal health care management, including body motion monitoring, emotional sensing, and flatfoot gait correction. The RGO/PANI e-textile presented in this study holds significant implications for the evolution of health care applications utilizing smart e-textiles.
Wound dressing management is critical in healthcare, and frequent dressing changes for full-thickness skin wounds can hinder healing. Nanofiber dressings that resemble the extracellular matrix, have gained popularity in wound repair, however, it is challenging to explore how to frequently change it without affecting healing processing and avoiding secondary damage. Here, we developed a self-adhesive and detachable nanofiber dressing inspired by Andrias davidianus. Our asymmetric nanofiber dressing exhibits strong adhesion (26 kPa), to the wound at high temperature (approximately 25 °C) to the wound surface and can be easily detached (4 kPa) at low temperature (below 8 °C), enabling painless dressing changes that minimize secondary injuries. The dressing comprises an outer layer of polylactic acid which provides mechanical property, support, and pollution resistance, with an inner layer of nanofibrous membrane, composed of gelatin and Andrias davidianus skin secretions, which promotes cellular migration, enhances wound healing and possesses inherent antimicrobial properties. Furthermore, the all-natural nanofiber dressings can be prepared on a large scale and offer favorable biocompatibility to meet the basic requirements of wound dressings. These findings demonstrate the potential applicability of our multilayer nanofiber dressing for advancing wound healing practices.
Biomass-based supramolecular hydrogels are widely used in the biomedical field due to their favorable biocompatibility and outstanding mechanical properties. However, the preparation of injectable polysaccharide-based hydrogels has proven to be a significant challenge. Here we have employed a simple poor-solvent strategy to prepare alginate supramolecular hydrogels via a hierarchical self-assembly process, including micellization, micelles alignment to form nanofilament, and nanofibrils formation. The alginate supramolecular fibrillar hydrogels exhibit excellent mechanical properties and shear recoverability, meeting the requirements of injectable hydrogels. Furthermore, the presence of alginate and its fibrillar structures imparts superb hemostasis properties and the inherent biocompatibility to these hydrogels. Therefore, this simple and intriguing approach has the potential to develop polysaccharide-based hydrogels for hemostasis in wound within the biomedical fields.
Flexible electrochemical biosensors enable the in-situ monitoring and quantification of human biochemical constituents in molecular scale, spearheading and thriving the field toward precision medicine. However, specific biorecognition elements for multiplexed biomarkers detection, temperature stability and versatility need to be improved for higher adaption. Here, we propose a bioactive sensor patch comprising a non-enzyme Co3O4/carbon fiber-based biorecognition element and a temperature calibration unit. The optimized serpentine configuration renders the sensor intimate and seamless attachment with skin, operating robustly even subjected to 40% tensile strain. The fiber-based sensor could selectively monitor dopamine and lactic acid contents based on cyclic voltammetry and amperometry, respectively. The bioanalytical results at room temperature indicate that the electrochemical biosensor has a wide detection range (0.001–1.100 mM for dopamine and 2–35 mM for lactic acid), excellent selectivity and reproducibility (maximum error 3.2% for dopamine and 5.6% for lactic acid). In addition, temperature calibration contour maps of these two biomarkers are established in an ambient temperature range from 25 to 45 ℃. The continuously collected data could be aggregated and wirelessly transmitted to portable devices using an electrochemical signal transducer and an acquisition module, promising personalized and preventative health care in various scenarios.
Infected wounds pose a significant global health challenge due to the persistence of bacterial biofilms and limited tissue self-repair. Nitric oxide (NO) functions as a potent antimicrobial agent, demonstrating a dual capacity for both antimicrobial action and tissue rejuvenation across varying concentrations. However, achieving controlled NO release at distinct stages of infected wound progression, simultaneously targeting biofilm removal and wound recovery, remains a formidable challenge. In this work, we introduce a smart electrospun fibrous membrane, featuring an interior laden with NO-loaded HKUST-1 particles and a porous external surface. Notably, the results reveal the photothermal property of HKUST-1 when exposed to near-infrared (NIR) light, enabling precise management of NO release contingent upon light conditions. During the initial phase of infection treatment, a significant NO release is triggered by near-infrared photothermal stimulation, synergistically complementing photothermal therapy to effectively eliminate bacterial biofilms. Subsequently, in the wound-healing phase, NO is released from the degrading fibrous membrane in a controlled and gradual manner, synergizing with trace amounts of copper ions released during MOF degradation. This collaborative mechanism accelerates the formation of blood vessels within the wound, thereby facilitating the healing process. This study suggests a promising and innovative approach for the effective treatment of infected wounds.
A smart electrospinning fibrous membrane that can intelligently release NO at different stages of infected wound treatment was designed, which could eliminate biofilm and promote the healing of infected wounds.
The demand for green-power-driven flexible energy storage systems is increasing. This requires new materials for powering wearable electronic devices without conceding energy and power densities. Herein, a nanograss-flower-like nickel di-vanadium selenide (NiV2Se4) is fabricated on a flexible Ni–Cu–Co fabric by a scalable oil bath deposition approach. The NiV2Se4 is decorated with silver (Ag) nanoparticles (NiV2Se4–Ag) to improve the electrical conductivity of the electrode surface. The NiV2Se4–Ag electrode exhibits a 27% higher capacity than the NiV2Se4 electrode at 1 mA cm−2, owing to the synergistic effect of Ag nanoparticles and NiV2Se4. Aqueous and flexible hybrid supercapacitors (HSCs) are fabricated with NiV2Se4–Ag and activated carbon (AC) electrodes (NiV2Se4–Ag//AC), which work up to 1.6 V. Aqueous NiV2Se4–Ag//AC HSCs maintain 76% capacitance at a current density of 10 mA cm−2 and deliver an energy density of 77 Wh kg−1 at a power density of 749 W kg−1. Moreover, these HSCs exhibit an excellent cycling stability of 95% after 10,000 galvanostatic charge–discharge cycles. Ultimately, this study demonstrates the potential of NiV2Se4–Ag//AC flexible HSCs for wearable electronics. These HSCs can withstand different bending and twisting angles without compromising the electrochemical performance. The fabricated flexible HSCs can also be recharged by sunlight, providing a sustainable way to utilize natural energy resources.
The effective and safe healing of chronic wounds, such as diabetic ulcers, presents a significant clinical challenge due to the adverse microenvironment in the wound that hinders essential processes of wound healing, including angiogenesis, inflammation resolution, and bacterial control. Therefore, there is an urgent demand for the development of safe and cost-effective multifunctional therapeutic dressings. Silicon nitride, with its distinctive antibacterial properties and bioactivities, shows great potential as a promising candidate for the treatment of chronic wounds. In this study, a silicon nitride-incorporated collagen/chitosan nanofibrous dressing (CCS) were successfully fabricated using the solution blow spinning technique (SBS). SBS offers compelling advantages in fabricating uniform nanofibers, resulting in a three-dimensional fluffy nanofibrous scaffold that creates an optimal wound healing environment. This blow-spun nanofibrous dressing exhibits excellent hygroscopicity and breathability, enabling effective absorption of wound exudate. Importantly, the incorporated silicon nitride within the fibers triggers surface chemical reactions in the aqueous environment, leading to the release of bioactive ions that modulate the wound microenvironment. Here, the CCS demonstrated exceptional capabilities in absorbing wound exudate, facilitating water vapor transmission, and displaying remarkable antibacterial properties in vitro and in a rat infected wound model (up to 99.7%, 4.5 × 107 CFU/cm2 for Staphylococcus aureus). Furthermore, the CCS exhibited an enhanced wound closure rate, angiogenesis, and anti-inflammatory effects in a rat diabetic wound model, compared to the control group without silicon nitride incorporation.
Sodium superionic conductors (NASICONs) show significant promise for application in the development of cathodes for sodium-ion batteries (SIBs). However, it remains a major challenge to develop the desired multi-electron reaction cathode with a high specific capacity and energy density. Herein, we report a novel NASICON-type Na3.5MnCr0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3 cathode obtained by combining electrospinning and stepwise sintering processes. This cathode exhibits a high discharge capacity of 160.4 mAh g−1 and operates at a considerable medium voltage of 3.2 V. The Na3.5MnCr0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3 cathode undergoes a multi-electron redox reaction involving the Cr3+/4+ (4.40/4.31 V vs. Na/Na+), Mn3+/4+ (4.18/4.03 V), Mn2+/3+ (3.74/3.41 V), and Ti3+/4+ (2.04/2.14 V) redox couples. This redox reaction enables a three-electron transfer during the Na+ intercalation/de-intercalation processes. As a result, the Na3.5MnCr0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3 demonstrates a significant enhancement in energy density, surpassing other recently reported SIB cathodes. The highly reversible structure evolution and small volume changes during cycling were demonstrated with in-situ X-ray diffraction, ensuring outstanding cyclability with 77% capacity retention after 500 cycles. Furthermore, a NMCTP@C//Sb@C full battery was fabricated, which delivered a high energy density of 421 Wh kg−1 and exhibited good cyclability with 75.7% capacity retention after 100 cycles. The rational design of composition regulation with multi-metal ion substitution holds the potential to unlock new possibilities in achieving high-performance SIBs.
A novel NASICON-structured Na3.5MnCr0.5Ti0.5(PO4)3 nanofiber was successfully designed and prepared. This nanofiber was employed to research the multi-electron reaction and the resulting structural evolution in SIBs. The optimal Na-migration pathway has also been investigated by DFT computations. A full SIB battery was fabricated and delivered a high energy density (421 Wh kg−1) and cyclability (75.7% after 100 cycles at 100 mA g−1).
Cellulose fibers play significant roles in building passive radiative cooling (PRC) and heating (PRH), benefiting from their porous structure and low thermal conductivity. However, the fixed structure and hydrophilic groups limit the regulation of optical and thermal properties. Herein, mechanically assisted solvent extraction strategy is proposed to regenerate cellulose acetate (CA) as pea-pod-like fibers. Different from natural fibers, photonic and thermal-storage particles are introduced into CA fibers to regulate optical selectivity and thermal properties. Further considering of building surface assembly, the biomimetic fibers are compressed into rigid bio-boards to achieve buildings thermal regulation. The results demonstrate that PRC bio-board can reflect ~ 94% of solar radiation and emit ~ 96% of thermal radiation and achieve ~ 11 ℃ (I solar > 1500 W/m2 and T environment ~ 35 ℃ at daytime) and 6 ℃ (nighttime) of cooling effects. The phase-change PRH bio-board integrates solar absorption (A solar ~ 96%), thermal insulation (T shielding ~ 30 ℃) and storage functions, which can heat building ~ 12 ℃ under I solar ~ 1000 W/m2 and slowly releases heat for > 1200 s. According to evaluation, the bio-units can save over 45% of energy, 1.042 $/m2 cost and 4.978 kg/(m2 year) CO2 emission in Nanjing annually. It is believed that the results have positive effects on clarifying the structure–effect relationship and promoting the commercialization of thermal management materials.
Parathyroid hormone (PTH) has been used for bone regeneration through intermittent subcutaneous injection; however, the topical administration of PTH for bone repair remains challenging because of the overactivation of osteoclasts. Here, a PTH derivative, i.e., PTHrP-1, which exhibits enhanced osteogenesis and relatively reduced osteoclastogenesis, is anchored to RADA16-I to fabricate a novel self-assembling peptide, called P1R16. Firstly, P1R16 self-assembles into long nanofibers with PTHrP-1 exposed to the side end, which interacts with Type I collagen (Col) to form P1R16-Col composites. The RADA16 segment in P1R16 helps the sustained release of P1R16 from the composites. Secondly, the P1R16 self-assembling peptide nanofibers exhibit multiple functions. The nanofibers promote stem cell proliferation and recruitment, and then direct stem cell fate towards osteogenic differentiation but not adpipogenic differentiation, improving the quality of the regenerated bone. The nanofibers further promote bone regeneration through bone remodeling between osteoblasts and osteoclasts. Thirdly, the P1R16 self-assembling peptide nanofibers also promote the proliferation and recruitment of endothelial cells, which facilitate the vascularization of implants to support bone regeneration further. Overall, the P1R16 self-assembling peptide nanofibers maintain multiple functions, including pro-proliferation, direction of stem cell fate, bone remodeling and vascularization, showing considerable promise for bone tissue engineering to repair bone defects or fractures.
Organic thermoelectric fibers have great potential as wearable thermoelectric textiles because of their one-dimensional structure and high flexibility. However, the insufficient thermoelectric performance, high fabrication cost, and mechanical fragility of most organic thermoelectric fibers significantly limit their practical applications. Here, we employ a rapid and cost-effective wet-spinning method to prepare dimethyl sulfoxide-doped poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) fiber bundles, followed by rational post-treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid (98% H2SO4) to enhance their thermoelectric performance. The wearable fiber bundles composed of multiple individual PEDOT:PSS fibers have effectively reduced resistance and overall high tensile strength and stability. Rational treatment with H2SO4 partially removes excessive PSS, thereby increasing the electrical conductivity to 4464 S cm‒1, while the parallel bundle is also a major factor in improving the power factor of up to 80.8 μW m‒1 K‒2, which is super-competitive compared with those of currently published studies. Besides, the thermoelectric device based on these fiber bundles exhibits high flexibility and promising output power of 2.25 nW at a temperature difference of 25 K. Our work provides insights into the fabrication of all-organic flexible high-conductivity textiles with high thermoelectric properties.