A Multifunctional Sensing and Heating Fabric Based on Carbon Nanotubes Conductive Film

The rise of wearable intelligence has led to smart heated clothing attracting increasing attention. Changes in both clothing pressure and human movement state create a subjective dynamic demand for the comfort temperature of the clothing microclimate. The absence of dynamic monitoring and the prediction of the microclimate lead to a lag in temperature regulation of the heated clothing, which affects clothing comfort and intelligence. We present a simple and novel strategy for the preparation of fabric-based pressure-sensitive flexible heating elements (PSFHEs) for temperature control. In the pressure sensing region, a “sandpaper” microstructured carbon nanotube/polyurethane (CNT/PU) conductive film was prepared with high sensitivity (63.47 kPa
$^{-1}$
), low hysteresis (8.45%), wide detection limits (0.5–12 kPa), and repeatability (4000 cycles). In the heating area, a bend-resistant, ergonomic CNTs film-based flexible heating element (FHE) was studied and designed. This allows for a good thermal response with a maximum surface equilibrium temperature of 48.89 °C (5 V) and a maximum heating rate of 5.99 °Cs
$^{-1}$
. The results show that PSFHE can monitor pressure changes and regulate the internal temperature of the heating element, showing the potential for future applications and providing new directions and ideas for exploring the value of functional textiles in wearable electronics.