Facile Recycling of Waste Fabrics for Preparing Multifunctional Photothermal Protective Materials

Waste fabrics have caused serious environmental pollution and resource waste, while recycling is still inefficient and costly. Herein, we designed an efficient and green method of recycling waste fabrics for the preparation of multifunctional photothermal protective materials. Modified carbonized fibers (MCFs) were obtained from carbonized waste fabrics and modified with dopamine and dodecylamine. Thanks to the photothermal synergy between polydopamine and the CFs, the MCF coating exhibited more than 95% light absorptivity in the visible wavelength range, which can rapidly heat up to 95.3 °C within 120 s under 1 kW/m2 illumination. The excellent photothermal property in collaboration with superhydrophobicity endows MCF coating with obviously active de-icing and passive anti-icing properties. Moreover, the surface of the coated fabric can maintain a temperature of 20.1 °C under 0 °C with 1 kW/m2 illumination, illustrating the personal thermal management (PTM) characteristics. Furthermore, the MCF coatings exhibited excellent mechanical and chemical durability, which significantly extended their service life. More importantly, the noteworthy breathability made the fabric suitable and comfortable to wear. This self-cleaning photothermal protective coating with PTM, active de-icing, and passive anti-icing properties greatly broadens the application of recycled waste fabrics and the utilization of sustainable solar energy.