In situ grown polypyrrole and PDMS coatings enable superhydrophobic silk fabrics with photothermal antimicrobial activity and high-efficiency electromagnetic shielding

Electromagnetic (EM) shielding fabrics offer a promising solution to the growing issue of EM pollution. There is particularly demand for fabrics applicable in complex environments where comfort, durability, and multifunctionality are essential. In this work, we report the design of multifunctional EM shielding fabric (denoted as Silk-Ppy-PDMS) based on natural silk, which achieves self-cleaning, photothermal antibacterial and efficient EM shielding. By in situ polymerization of hydrophilic polypyrrole (Ppy) onto silk and applying superhydrophobic polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) coating, we imparted multiple functionalities to the fabric. The needle-like Ppy coating introduces surface roughness favorable for superhydrophobicity, enabling effective self-cleaning. Meanwhile, the same structure enhances light absorption and conversion into heat, contributing to strong photothermal antibacterial. In addition, the fabrics complex surface topography not only facilitates the reflection of X-band EM waves but also leverages the dielectric loss of Ppy to effectively absorb incident radiation. Remarkably, the optimal composite, designated as Silk-P5-P, exhibits Stable WCA (155.5°), peak photothermal temperature (68.5 °C), excellent antibacterial rate (99.95%), superior EM shielding effectiveness (26.3 dB) and exceptional EMI SE per unit thickness (202.31 dB mm⁻¹). Collectively, these features establish the Silk-Ppy-PDMS series (specifically, Silk-P5-P) as a next-generation, wearable EM shielding fabric with robust self-cleaning and antimicrobial, offering considerable potential in advanced multifunctional textile applications. Graphical Abstract