3D-architectured MXene/thermally expandable microsphere composites with synergistic thermal insulation and photothermal conversion

Driven by increasing global energy consumption, smart textiles for personal thermal management, offering energy saving and dynamic temperature regulation, have garnered significant attention. This study introduces an all-weather personal thermal management textile engineered with three-dimensional structured MXene nanosheets, achieving bidirectional temperature control through passive thermal insulation and active photothermal conversion. Fabricated by electrostatically adsorbing MXene nanosheets onto hollow, thermally expandable microspheres (TEMs) and incorporating these MXene/TEMs composites as fillers in polyurethane coatings on cotton fabrics, the resulting textile exhibited exceptional thermal management capabilities. Experimentally, the coating exhibited a low thermal conductivity of 0.031 W m⁻¹ K⁻¹ and demonstrated remarkable photothermal performance, with 93.5 % solar absorption and 28.5 % conversion efficiency. In passive mode, the 0.8 mm coating can increase simulated skin temperature by 4.2 °C, while in active mode, rapid warming of 15.8 °C within 30 s under solar irradiation was achieved with minimized heat loss. In addition to the low-density characteristics, the coatings also exhibit excellent mechanical strength, flexibility, breathability, and water vapor transmission. This smart textile, based on the synergy of thermal conductivity inhibition and efficient photothermal conversion, presents a novel strategy for lightweight and versatile all-weather personal thermal management textiles with broad application potential.