Engineering tiramisu-like phase change nanocomposite for superior thermal energy management and electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract

Exploiting advanced nanocomposites isochronally integrating outstanding thermal conductivity (TC) and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) can boost the cutting-edge application of phase change materials. Here, we report a tiramisu-like composite (GMP), where the typical “crust-and-cheese” hierarchical structure is replicated by an innovative two-step bidirectional freezing assembly (BFA) and compressive densification. Hierarchical-aligned graphene array (G-GA) with ultralow thermal resistance is fabricated through 1st BFA and graphitization. During the 2nd BFA, the MXene-CNF crosslinking network with hydrogen-bond actions is used for encapsulating polyethylene glycol (PEG) onto the microlayers of the G-GA skeleton. Remarkably, the microlaminated GMP4 achieves a recorded TC of 34.05 W m–1 K–1, unprecedented EMI SE of 87.4 dB, and preferable enthalpy density of 179.4 J cm–3, along with leakage-free function, and eminent thermal durability. Furthermore, the GMP-loaded equipment is demonstrated for efficient microelectronics cooling and sustainable solar energy utilization. This work opens new avenues for multiscale designing multifunctional macro-composites, broadening the application prospects in advanced electronics and solar energy utilization systems.