PEDOT:PSS welding of silver nanowire networks on polyurethane nanofiber mat for integrated EMI shielding and energy harvesting

Porous fiber-based conductive textiles are emerging as promising platforms for wearable electronics and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding; however, their performance is often constrained by unstable metal networks and poor adhesion to soft, deformable substrates. Here, we address these limitations by employing poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrene sulfonate) (PEDOT:PSS) to weld silver nanowire (AgNW) junctions, reinforce conductive pathways, and anchor the network within elastic fiber mats. High-aspect-ratio AgNWs (up to 222) were first synthesized, enabling low-resistance wire-to-wire contacts. The AgNWs and PEDOT:PSS were subsequently integrated into an electrospun polyurethane (PU) nanofiber mat via a two-step vacuum-assisted impregnation process. At an optimal PEDOT:PSS loading, the resulting PU-AgNW-PEDOT:PSS textile exhibited an approximately 50% increase in electrical conductivity relative to the non-welded counterpart, along with enhanced EMI shielding effectiveness (SE T ) of 41.3 dB at a thickness of only 70 μm. Notably, the textile retained approximately 83% of its initial SE T after cyclic tensile deformation to 75% strain, demonstrating good shielding retention and improved mechanical durability, underscoring its suitability for mechanically dynamic environments. Finally, leveraging the combined high conductivity, mechanical robustness, and flexibility, the PU-AgNW-PEDOT:PSS mat was demonstrated to function simultaneously as a positive triboelectric layer and electrode, eliminating the need for an additional metallic electrode, and delivering high peak-to-peak open-circuit voltages of 592 V.