Enhanced functionalization of nonwoven fabric by spray coating AgNPs/CNTs solution prepared by a one-step method

The convergence of nanotechnology and textile engineering has propelled the development and performance enhancement of multifunctional smart materials across various applications. In this study, a one-step method was used to synthesize a multifunctional smart textile by anchoring silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) onto multi-walled carbon nanotubes (CNTs) and spray coating them onto nonwoven fabric. Incorporating CNTs not only enhanced the conductivity, but also improved the heating efficiency of the resulting fabric, which can increases comfort in cold environments through electric heating. The incorporation of AgNPs contributed to the fabric’s photothermal capability. The photothermal conversion efficiency reached 89.7 % under 100 mW/cm2 illumination, resulting in a temperature of 45.0 °C at a current of 1.0 A. The fabric demonstrated exceptional piezoresistive and strain-sensing capabilities with a response time of only 359 ms under a pressure of 3.25 kPa. In addition, the fabric was able to detect subtle physiological signals, such as the wearer’s pulse, finger flexion, and spinal bending while also monitoring environmental humidity in real time. This research not only advances smart textile technology, but also addresses unique challenges to the one-step preparation of CNTs and AgNPs on nonwoven fabric, thus enabling the design and manufacture of innovative materials with tailored functionalities. These advancements will bear significant impacts on electric heating, photothermal applications, and personal wearable strain sensing in textiles.