Fe3O4 uniformly decorated reduced graphene oxide aerogel for epoxy nanocomposites with high EMI shielding performance

Abstract

This work reports the successful fabrication of Fe3O4@anisotropic reduced graphene oxide aerogel/epoxy (Fe3O4@AGA/EP) nanocomposites, with outstanding electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance and mechanical properties. One-step hydrothermal reduction reaction and unidirectional freezing approach were utilized in order to avoid the agglomeration of Fe3O4 and graphene oxide (GO). The Fe3O4@AGA/EP nanocomposites were subsequently obtained by freeze-drying, annealing treatment, EP infiltrating and curing processes. Due to the synergistic effect of the Fe3O4 (with magnetic and dielectric loss properties) and the three-dimensional AGA framework (presents high electrical conductivity), the EMI shielding efficiency of Fe3O4@AGA/EP nanocomposites reached 40.4 dB along the radial direction when the mass ratio of FeSO4: GO was 2: 1. Simultaneously, an enhanced storage modulus of 116% was exhibited compared with that of the pure EP. Moreover, the nanocomposites showed absorption-dominated EMI shielding characteristics, which is significant for the reduction of secondary pollution of electromagnetic waves. This research provides a one-step hydrothermal reduction method to address the agglomeration of Fe3O4 and prepare EP-based composites with high EMI shielding performance and mechanical properties.