A biomimetic method for the preparation of highly conductive silver-plated polyethylene terephthalate (PET) fiber was demonstrated. First, the PET fibers were functionalized with a bio-inspired polydopamine (PDA) coating, simply by being dispersed in a dopamine solution under mild stirring at room temperature. Electroless plating of silver was then carried out on the surface of the PET-PDA fiber. An aqueous solution of silver nitrate and glucose was used as silver precursor and reducing reagent, respectively. The overall procedure is fast, simple, efficient, nontoxic, as well as controllable. The PDA layer on the PET surface was characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectroscopy, and contact angle measurement. The crystalline structure of the modified PET fiber was studied by X-ray diffraction (XRD). The morphology of the PET-PDA and the PET-Ag fiber was observed by scanning electron microscopy (SEM). SEM results showed that the silver layer coated on PET-PDA was continuous, uniform, and compact. The as-prepared PET-Ag fibers have good electrical conductivity, with surface resistivity as low as 0.4 m Omega cm. The binding force between the silver layer and PET-PDA fiber was strong enough that the silver layer remained compact and continuous after the PET-PDA/Ag fiber was rinsed under ultrasound for 4 h. (C) 2012 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.