Temperature-controlled wearable heater of durably conductive cotton fabric prepared by composite coatings of silver/MXene and polydimethylsiloxane

Conductive and thermal cotton fabrics have a great potential in the field of wearable textiles, in particular, warm textiles. However, poor durability and low wearability have hindered the practical application of conductive and thermal cotton fabrics. In this study, a cotton fabric with excellent conductive and thermal properties was prepared by coating with silver nanoparticles (Ag NPs), MXene, and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS). The Ag NPs and MXene coatings endowed the cotton fabric with excellent conductive and thermal properties, while the PDMS coating endowed the conductive and thermal fabric with mechanical and chemical durability. As a result, the surface resistance of the finished cotton fabric reached 23.4 ± 1.7 Ω/sq, exhibiting excellent conductive properties. In addition, the temperature of the cotton fabric was improved a short time (<96.0 s) after the application of a low voltage, and the temperature increase of the fabric could be controlled by adjusting the time. Moreover, the inherent properties of the finished cotton fabric were retained to a significant extent after the finishing process. Therefore, it is believed that the fabricated cotton fabric has great potential for application in conductive and warm textiles.