Graphene/SiC-coated textiles with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding, Joule heating, high-temperature resistance, and pressure-sensing performances

Multifunctional, wearable, and durable textiles integrated with smart electronics have attracted tremendous attention. However, it remains a great challenge to balance new functionalities with high-temperature stability. Herein, textile-based pressure sensors with excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, Joule heating, and high-temperature resistance were fabricated by constructing graphene/SiC (G/SiC) heterostructures on carbon cloth via laser chemical vapor deposition (LCVD). The resultant textiles exhibited excellent EMI efficiency of 74.2 dB with a thickness of 0.45 mm, Joule heating performance within a low working voltage (V) range of 1-3 V, and fast response time within 20 s. These properties arose from multiple reflections, interfacial polarization, and high conductivity due to the numerous amounts of nanoscale G/SiC heterostructures. More importantly, G/SiC/carbon fibers (CFs) demonstrated well high-temperature resistance with a heat resistance index (T-HRI) of 380.2 degrees C owing to the protection of a coating layer on the CFs upon oxidation. Meanwhile, the G/SiC/CFs presented good pressure-sensing performance with high sensitivity (S) of 52.93 kPa(-1), fast response time of 85 ms, and a wide pressure range of up to 186 kPa. These features imply the potential of the G/SiC/CFs as efficient EMI shielding, electrical heater, and piezoresistive sensor textiles.