Preparation and properties of multifunctional polyurethane synthetic leather nanocomposites

Although leather can be functionally modified well, its origin will cause concern about the destruction of the ecological environment. Here, a novel multifunctional synthetic leather (denoted as FRTL) that integrates high tensile strength, flame retardancy, Joule heating, electromagnetic shielding, and strain sensing is reported. Benefiting from the excellent mechanical properties of the PU film, the leather exhibits a high tensile strength of 100.8 MPa. Based on the high conductivity of MXene, the leather possesses an electromagnetic shielding efficiency of 30.1 dB. FRTL also exhibits excellent flame retardancy, confirmed by the reduction of more than 32% in peak heat release rate. In addition, the controlled Joule heating properties enable the leather to cope with extreme cold weather. The obtained fabric can also detect various human movements. This work provides a facile method to fabricate the next-generation multifunctional protective leather, showing promising application in the field of smart firefighting.