Multifunctional and Flexible Ag@PEDOT Heterostructure-Decorated Laser-Induced Graphene Film for Body Thermal Therapy

Abstract

Wearable heaters with multifunctional capabilities and high performance are in high demand for future personal thermal management. However, the development of such devices remains challenging due to limitations in flexibility, complex fabrication, inadequate Joule heating efficiency, insufficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, and poor antibacterial performance. Here, Ag@PEDOT heterostructures were decorated on laser-induced graphene (LIG) through a simple spray-coating process followed by a facile chemical synthetic method to deposit silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto the PEDOT layers. The resulting composite retains the intrinsic flexibility and comfort of the original graphene matrices, while demonstrating exceptional Joule heating characteristics—achieving a broad temperature range (30°C–100°C) at low operating voltages (0.8–2.6 V) and a rapid photothermal response (reaching 89.6°C within 180 s at 1.5 sun irradiation). Moreover, the material exhibits superior electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (33 dB in the X-band) and outstanding antibacterial activity, with an inhibition rate exceeding 95% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This study offers a promising strategy for designing multifunctional wearable heaters suited for personal healthcare and thermal management applications.

Keywords

Ag@PEDOT heterostructure / antibacterial / electromagnetic shielding interference / joule heating / photothermal conversion

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2025 The Author(s). Carbon Neutralization published by Wenzhou University and John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd.