Flexible electrothermal devices have emerged as promising components for applications such as athletic clothing and wearable thermal therapy. However, achieving scalable fabrication of these devices requires the combination of conductive materials with biocompatible fibers. To tackle this challenge, we introduced a novel approach to enhance the electrothermal performance of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) by coating them with polyaniline (PANI) via a microwave-assisted, scalable, solvent-friendly, in-situ polymerization method. Structural and morphological analyses using FTIR, Raman spectroscopy, and TEM suggested the successful coating of PANI on CNTs. Acid doping further improved the electrical conductivity of the composite by 100.0% and significantly enhanced its electric heating performance by 76.4%, with a dramatic temperature rise of 180 °C within 120 s at low voltage (5 V), outperforming prior CNT-based electrothermal devices. These enhancements may be attributed to improved heterojunction formation between CNT and PANI, in addition to the enhanced electron transport within the doped PANI matrix. This study provides a scalable strategy for the design of flexible, next-generation CNT-based electrothermal materials for use in wearable electronic devices, medicine, and textiles.

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