Photothermal Superhydrophobic Textiles: An Emerging Paradigm from Passive Water Repellency to Active Thermal Management

Abstract

Photothermal superhydrophobic textiles represent an emerging paradigm integrating active light-driven functionality with passive liquid repellency. While previous reviews treated superhydrophobicity and photothermal effects in isolation, this work pioneers a systematic analysis of their synergistic interplay-a critical, underexplored mechanism where superhydrophobicity preserves photothermal efficiency by minimizing water-induced heat loss, while photothermal activity prevents surface fouling that compromises non-wetting performance. Through detailed case studies of advanced material systems, this review highlights how this synergy supports significant advancements in adaptive wearable technology, energy-efficient infrastructure, and eco-friendly water treatment. This review presents an original "lab-to-life" roadmap that structurally links material design to durability assessment, environmental impact evaluation, and scalable manufacturing strategies-a holistic framework absent in existing literature. The review emphasizes urgent sustainability priorities including green material substitutions, non-toxic solvent processing methodologies, and circular design principles aligned with global environmental regulations. By connecting fundamental mechanisms to real-world deployment scenarios while outlining transformative future directions such as AI-accelerated material discovery, stimulus-responsive systems, and intelligent manufacturing protocols, this work provides a timely and actionable reference for advancing next-generation textiles toward technological sophistication and practical viability in sustainable development.