The future of fabric: A comprehensive review of self-powered smart textiles and their emerging applications

Abstract

Smart textiles have evolved remarkably from traditional fabrics to advanced materials that integrate electronic components, sensors, and energy-harvesting technologies. This evolution has led to the development of self-powered smart textiles capable of generating and storing energy from diverse sources, thereby reducing dependence on external power supplies. These self-powered systems can convert biomechanical, biochemical, and body heat energy into electrical signals, facilitating the long-term, real-time monitoring of physiological states. Key technologies driving energy conversion in self-powered smart textiles include triboelectric nanogenerators (TENGs), piezoelectric nanogenerators (PENGs), magnetoelastic generators (MEGs), thermoelectric generators (TEGs), and biofuel cells (BFCs). Together, these technologies address the rising demand for sustainable on-body energy solutions and have heightened interest in self-powered smart textiles. While existing literature has examined various applications of smart textiles, there remains a significant gap in comprehensive assessments specifically addressing self-powered smart textiles across multiple domains. This review aims to fill this gap by providing an extensive overview of self-powered smart textiles with a focus on their materials, energy-harvesting technologies, and emerging applications. It explores the principles of energy harvesting and storage integrated into textiles, examines advanced materials and fabrication strategies, and highlights key applications in the healthcare, fitness, military, fashion, and industrial sectors. Additionally, it discusses the current challenges related to durability, scalability, and environmental sustainability, and outlines future directions to advance this rapidly evolving field.