Mxene composite fibers with advanced thermal management for inhibiting tumor recurrence and accelerating wound healing

•Unidirectional thermal conductivity improves heat distribution.•Comsol simulations explain the improved heat distribution.•Eliminate postoperative residual cancer cells reducing tumor recurrence.•Effectively kills drug-resistant bacteria promoting wound healing. Skin cancer is usually treated by surgical excision in the clinic. However, the unavoidable residual cancer cells and possible wound infection lead to a high tumor recurrence rate and slow wound recovery. Existing photothermal film materials tend to have a higher heat distribution on the upper surface than on the lower surface. This leads to low temperature on the lower surface attached to the skin that cannot produce effective photothermal effects. Herein, we designed a micro-nano effect combining Ti3C2Tx MXene and fibers, which produces a similar lens effect to regulate the heat generated on the upper surface transmitting to the lower surface of the fiber membrane. Due to its asymmetric and unidirectional thermal conductivity having been significantly promoted, the fiber membrane exhibits effective ablating residual cancer cells after surgical excision attached to the wound as a dressing, and thus effectively inhibits tumor growth. In addition, this thermal management fiber membrane also exhibits an excellent bactericidal effect, accelerating post-surgical wound healing without losing the property of preventing post-surgical tumor recurrence.