Tailored functionalities in rGO–polyester fabrics: Impact of reduction methods on photothermal, antibacterial, deicing, EMI shielding, photocatalytic, wettability, and mechanical performance

• Dense rGO with strong NIR photothermal response on NaOH and ascorbic acid/PET • Above 99% antibacterial activity with rapid ice-melting on rGO/PET fabric • Notable photocatalytic activity with 22 dB EMI shielding on acidic medium treated • Hydrophobicity, oil-wicking, abrasion durability, and alkali resistance on rGO/PET This study focuses on reducing graphene oxide on polyester fabrics using three methods: hydrothermal (neutral), ascorbic acid (acidic), and sodium hydroxide (alkaline), to examine how the reduction chemistry influences fabric functionality. Structural and chemical analyses (XRD, FT‑IR, FESEM) revealed gradual deoxygenation and the recovery of graphitic domains, with chemically reduced fabrics showing denser and more uniform rGO coatings. Under NIR irradiation, the alkaline and ascorbic acid-reduced samples reached peak temperatures of 75°C and 74°C, respectively, outperforming the hydrothermal sample, which peaked at 68°C, and demonstrating excellent photothermal performance. Photothermal antibacterial tests on chemically reduced fabrics showed over 99% inactivation of Staphylococcus aureus, while Escherichia coli was mostly unaffected, demonstrating the cell-wall-dependent nature of the efficacy. In simulated icing tests, the alkaline-reduced fabric completely deiced within 21 min. Meanwhile, during X-band (8–12 GHz) EMI shielding measurements, the ascorbic acid-reduced fabric showed the best shielding performance (22 dB at 9.5 GHz), thanks to its optimized conductive network. Photoluminescence studies showed band gaps ranging from 2.25 to 2.31 eV across samples, suggesting semiconducting properties. Photocatalytic degradation of methylene blue under UV light further demonstrated self-cleaning abilities, particularly in the alkaline-reduced fabric. Thermal stability tests revealed better residue retention in chemically reduced samples, while vertical wicking and contact angle measurements indicated that ascorbic acid reduction achieved the greatest hydrophobicity (∼108°). These findings highlight that chemical reduction, especially with ascorbic acid, promotes a well-rounded improvement in photothermal, antibacterial, deicing, EMI-shielding, photocatalytic, and wettability properties, paving the way for the thoughtful development of next-generation smart textiles.