Breathable and washable MXene@gallic acid cross-linked textile assisted by borax for personal multi-protection wearables

Abstract

Achieving multifunctional integration with comfortability and durability comparable to conventional textiles is one of the ultimate pursuits of personal protective wearables. Herein, a multi-protective textile with breathable, moisture-permeable and washable properties is reported, which is realized by cross-linking of electroactive MXene@gallic acid (MG) with the cationized cotton. Cationic modification reduces the charge repulsion between MG and cotton fibers, and promotes the deposition of conductive media on textile surface. After borax (STB) cross-linking, the obtained textile exhibits superior service stability and can be subjected to conventional washing, exhibiting antioxidant stability during natural storage. Importantly, the cross-linked textile inherits the properties of good breathability, softness and bendability as the original fabric. With the outstanding conductivity (260 mS/cm) and high absorptivity of the solar spectrum (0.920), the textile was used for Joule heating and solar heating, demonstrating their potential in the field of thermal management. Meanwhile, the textile demonstrates excellent antibacterial activity against Gram-negative Escherichia coli and Gram-positive Staphylococcus aureus, and maintained satisfactory antibacterial effect (>90 %) even after ten washing cycles. This facile strategy for fabricating personal protective textiles, based on cross-linking cotton fiber with electroactive mediators offers favorable durability, comfortability and multifunctionality, providing a scalable and sustainable approach for manufacturing multi-protective wearables.