Asymmetric Superhydrophobic Textiles for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Photothermal Conversion, and Solar Water Evaporation

Flexible and multifunctional textiles have potential applications in self-cleaning and portable electronic product applications, but the current problem that needs to be solved is to maintain their inherent breathability and flexibility while expanding other functional applications. Herein, we adopt the layer-by-layer assembly method to develop a multifunctional textile with superior asymmetric superhydrophobicity, excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, outstanding photothermal conversion, and solar water evaporation. The synergistic effect of SiO2 nanoparticles/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) and 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorooctyltriethoxysilane (PFOTES) endows the textile with a water contact angle of 160°. MXene provides high conductivity (1200 S/m) and EMI shielding effects (36 dB) for multifunctional textiles. In addition, the multifunctional textile exhibits excellent photothermal conversion, and satisfactory solar water evaporation efficiency (80%) and rate (1.22 kg/(m2 h)) under 1 sun. Therefore, the prepared multifunctional textile has great potential in multiscene applications.