Durable Metallized Liquid Crystal Polymer Fibers Enable Flexible and Tough Electrical Heaters
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: Fiber-shaped electrical heaters with high flexibility and excellent adaptability make an ideal candidate for the application of wearable electronics but still suffer from low strength and poor durability. Herein, an all-in-one Joule-heating fiber capable of outstanding mechanical properties, good heating efficiency, and long-term stability is reported by using polymer-assisted metal deposition to firmly coat Cu nanoparticles on high-performance liquid crystal polymer (LCP) fibers. Taking advantage of LCP, the resultant fibers exhibit a satisfying temperature threshold (up to 200 °C) and immense strength (2.94 GPa). By virtue of dense and continuous Cu film, these fibers show low electrical resistance (5.51 Ω/cm) and an ultrafast response rate (12.6 °C·s−1) at low supplied voltages (0.5–3.5 V). Benefiting from the levodopa/polyethyleneimine interface design, such fibers maintain nearly constant resistance after repeatable bending, folding, and even washing (50 cycles). Based on the above-mentioned merits, a wearable patch with a Joule-heating function is knitted by using as-made fibers to offer therapeutic benefits for human body joints. This work demonstrates prospective potential for enriching the challenging applications of fiber-shaped electrical heating systems.
Source: Polymers
Authors: Yajie Zhang, Xinting Huang, Jiachi Zhou, Wenlin Liang, Xinxin Li, Chuang Zhu
Institution: Donghua University
Language: English
Subfield: Biomedical Engineering
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $3,258
OpenAlex ID: W4409545484