Harvesting low-grade heat from both human metabolism and environmental waste through thermoelectric fabrics offers a sustainable pathway for wearable power generation. However, a critical challenge exists in establishing substantial temperature differentials for continuous thermoelectric generation while maintaining physiologically comfortable skin temperatures in dynamically variable environments. Herein, we present a dynamic radiation-modulated sandwich-structured fabric capable of diurnally adaptive operation that simultaneously enables thermal comfort regulation and thermoelectric energy harvesting. Based on a parallel dual-spinneret blow-spinning technique, we engineer all-fibrous thermoelectric fabrics with asymmetric multi-walled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) and silver nanowire (AgNW) electrodes. The optimized sandwich fabric achieves an out-of-plane temperature gradient (ΔT) of 9 °C under 1 kW·m⁻² daytime solar irradiation and −5 °C at night (ambient temperature of 28 °C), while maintaining skin-contact temperatures within the physiological comfort range (35.5–38.3 °C). Theoretical and experimental studies reveal that these self-regulated bidirectional temperature gradients result from asymmetric optical absorption/emission properties between the MWCNT top layer (solar absorptance α_solar = 91%, mid-infrared emissivity ε_MIR = 87%) and the AgNW bottom layer (α_solar = 18%, ε_MIR = 20%). This effect is synergistically enhanced by the hierarchical porous fibrous interlayer with confined thermal transfer. Outdoor experiments demonstrate stable diurnal operation for thermal comfort and energy harvesting, generating a peak voltage of 20 mV through modular integration of sandwich fabrics.

The urgency of reducing pollutants and greenhouse gas emissions while maintaining fuel supply for the development of society remains one of the greatest challenges. Solar energy, a clean and sustainable energy resource, can be converted into fuels through solar-driven catalysis, and this provides an attractive solution for future energy demand. The current development of photothermal catalysis (PTC) based on the integration of solar thermal and photochemical contributions is becoming increasingly popular for full spectrum utilization. The combination of the thermochemical and photochemical processes synergistically drives the catalytic reactions efficiently under relatively mild conditions. In this review, the mechanisms of PTC are classified based on driving forces and the benefits of photothermal effects in different PTC reactions are discussed. Subsequently, the techniques for differentiating and quantifying the various effects of PTC, including experimental designs, thermometry characterization techniques, and computational studies, are summarized. Then, the major determinant properties and architectural designs for efficient photothermal catalysts are offered. Moreover, applications for fuel generation through water splitting and carbon dioxide reduction are reviewed. Finally, the current challenges and future directions of PTC are presented. This article aims to provide a comprehensive review of the current advances in PTC along with a guide for understanding the mechanisms and rational material designs to pursue solar fuel that would diversify and increase the sustainability of our energy supply.