Enhancing electrical output and thermal adaptivity in an interlocked core-sheath triboelectric yarn/fabric for intelligent fire-rescue systems

Self-powered flexible electronic textiles designed for fire-rescue functions, especially in high-temperature environments, have attracted considerable attention. However, their practical applications are hindered by limited electrical output and poor thermal adaptability. In this study, we develop an interlocked core-sheath triboelectric yarn (ICSTY) employing a well-established braiding process, which comprises an inner layer of braided conductive yarn and an outer layer of loop-piled polyimide yarn. This unique structural design resulted in the ICSTY exhibiting an enhanced electrical output performance of 16.3 V per length of 15 cm and excellent thermal adaptability across a wide temperature range of 25–250 °C. The woven ICSTY fabric demonstrates outstanding thermal insulation and biomechanical energy harvesting compared with existing firefighting uniforms. Furthermore, it can be seamlessly integrated into a self-powered fire-rescue system for motion monitoring, location acquisition, and escape warnings for trapped firefighters. This exceptional ICSTY holds the potential to significantly impact the future development of intelligent firefighting uniforms.