Multifunctional and corrosion resistant poly(phenylene sulfide)/Ag composites for electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract

Lightweight, multifunctional and highly efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding polymer composites with reliable EMI protection, efficient heat dissipation, excellent fire safety, and corrosion resistance are highly desired for next-generation electronic devices and high-power electronic communication technologies. However, developing robust and multifunctional conductive polymer shielding composites to meet stringent requirements when in harsh application environments remains a great challenge. Herein, a multi-functional and highly efficient EMI shielding poly(phenylene sulfide) (PPS) composite with a perfect 3D silver (Ag) conductive network and enhanced interfacial connection is fabricated through a unique silver-sulfur coordination reaction-induced in situ interfacial enhancement approach. The prevalent silver-sulfur coordination reaction between the PPS matrix and 3D Ag network provides the Ag/PPS composite with strong interfacial interaction and a reliable conductive network, leading to superior electrical conductivity, ultra-efficient EMI shielding effectiveness (87.8 dB), excellent thermal conductivity (1.15 Wm-1K−1), remarkable corrosion resistance and satisfactory mechanical properties (~60 MPa) at very low Ag contents. Moreover, the multi-functional shielding composite also exhibits marvellous anti-friction and wear-resistant performance along with excellent fire resistance and antibacterial properties. Therefore, the silver-sulfur coordination reaction-induced in situ interfacial enhancement during facile thermal compression moulding creates a multi-functional and robust EMI shielding composite, which is promising for conferring ideal EMI protection to next-generation electronics in complex application environments.