Architecturally Partitioned Core-Sheath Woven Fabric for Integrated Electromagnetic Wave Absorption and Self-Powered Non-Contact Sensing

Integrating electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption and non-contact sensing into flexible electronic fibers is essential for advancing multifunctional smart textiles. However, their simultaneous realization remains challenging due to the fundamentally opposing requirements for electrical conductivity. Inspired by the regionalized feather structure of an owl's wings, a functionally partitioned core-sheath yarn architecture is designed to spatially decouple EMW absorption and sensing functionalities. The core, composed of polyurethane hybridized with EMW-absorbing nanoparticles that provide magnetic–dielectric synergistic loss mechanisms, exhibits excellent EMW absorption performance (reflection loss peak: –30.1 dB; effective absorption bandwidth: 6.78 GHz). The sheath, made of poly(vinylidene fluoride-trifluoroethylene) nanofibers, offers superior triboelectric charge trapping and hydrophobicity, enabling robust self-powered non-contact sensing. The resulting fabric sensor delivers a high and stable voltage output of 6.3 V at a 2 mm separation, with outstanding durability over 5000 cycles. Integrated with a deep learning model, the sensor array enables real-time gesture recognition, demonstrating its potential in intelligent environmental perception and electromagnetic stealth. This work presents a promising platform for next-generation smart textiles that seamlessly combine energy harvesting, environmental adaptability, and human-machine interaction.