Cellulose nanofiber-enabled MXene textronics for wearable therapeutic applications

Electronic textiles (e-textiles) are advancing wearable healthcare by integrating electronics into soft, breathable, and scalable fabrics. Composites of cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) and two-dimensional MXenes have gained attention due to their complementary properties. CNFs offer flexibility, mechanical strength, biodegradability, and rich surface chemistry, while MXenes provide high conductivity and tunable multifunctionality. Strong interfacial interactions enable the development of durable, flexible, and environmentally compatible textronic architectures for wearable applications. This review examines the structural role of CNFs in MXene-based textronics across hierarchical formats, from fibers to fabrics. Key fabrication strategies, coating, spinning, electrospinning, and hybrid assembly, are discussed, with emphasis on comfort and performance balance. CNF-MXene textiles enable a range of functions, including wearable energy storage (supercapacitors), physiological and strain/pressure sensing, electrical stimulation, thermotherapy, and controlled drug delivery, positioning them as multifunctional platforms for both power-supporting and therapeutic wearable technologies. Key challenges, such as durability, washability, moisture resistance, and stability, are assessed, with future directions focusing on MXene stability, scalable production, and sustainable end-of-life strategies.