Polydopamine modified CuS particles filled cellulose fiber for photothermal conversion performance

Various functional fibers have emerged due to the increasing demand for fabrics’ comfort, naturalness, and warmth. Herein, a cellulose/polydopamine-coated copper sulfide (C/CuS@PDA) composite fiber with a photothermal property was prepared by a wet spinning process. Benefitting from the chemical bonding between CuS@PDA and cellulose molecules as well as the good dispersion of modified CuS particles in the fiber, the C/CuS@PDA composite fiber presented an excellent enhanced performance. The tensile strength of the test sample was achieved at 100.3 MPa, which was 26.2% higher than that of the cellulose fiber. Based on the addition of CuS@PDA, the C/CuS@PDA-1% composite fiber embodied significant photothermal properties, and the temperature of the fiber could be increased from room temperature to 61.4 °C at 120 s irradiation by an infrared lamp with a power of 250 W. Based on these results, C/CUS@PDA composite fibers may have great potential in the preparation of lightweight and comfortable functional fabrics, which benefit from its property of spontaneous heating in sunlight. Combined with their flexibility and photothermal properties, these fibers also can be integrated into available garments via textile technology and have application potential in specific medical and flexible clothes.