Flexible Electromagnetic Interference Research Articles

Wearable EMI Shielding Composite Films with Integrated Optimization of Electrical Safety, Biosafety and Thermal Safety.

Biomaterial-based flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composite films are desirable in many applications of wearable electronic devices. However, much research focuses on improving the EMI shielding performance of materials, while optimizing the comprehensive safety of wearable EMI shielding materials has been neglected. Herein, wearable cellulose nanofiber@boron nitride nanosheet/silver nanowire/bacterial cellulose (CNF@BNNS/AgNW/BC) EMI shielding composite films with sandwich structure are fabricated via a simple sequential vacuum filtration method. For the first time, the electrical safety, biosafety, and thermal safety of EMI shielding materials are optimized integratedly. Since both sides of the sandwich structure contain CNF and BC electrical insulation layers, the CNF@BNNS/AgNW/BC composite films exhibit excellent electrical safety. Furthermore, benefiting from the AgNW conductive networks in the middle layer, the CNF@BNNS/AgNW/BC exhibit excellent EMI shielding effectiveness of 49.95dB and ultra-fast response Joule heating performance. More importantly, the antibacterial property of AgNW ensures the biosafety of the composite films. Meanwhile, the AgNW and the CNF@BNNS layers synergistically enhance the thermal conductivity of the CNF@BNNS/AgNW/BC composite film, reaching a high value of 8.85W m‒1 K‒1, which significantly enhances its thermal safety when used in miniaturized electronic device. This work offers new ideas for fabricating biomaterial-based EMI shielding composite films with high comprehensive safety.

Synergistic magnetic/dielectric loss and layered structural design of Ni@carbon fiber/Ag@graphene fiber/polydimethylsiloxane composite for high-absorption EMI shielding

Simultaneously achieving excellent shielding effectiveness (SE) and high absorption rate of flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials has become a growing demand for the new generation of highly integrated electronic devices. This study constructed a double-layer polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) EMI shielding composite film, with the upper layer using Ni-plated carbon fiber (Ni@CF) as the high absorption loss part and the lower layer using Ag-plated graphene fiber (Ag@GF) as the reflection attenuation part. Due to the synergistic magnetic/dielectric loss effect in the upper layer, high electrical conductivity in the lower layer, and the shielding mechanism of “absorption-reflection-reabsorption” induced by the double-layer structure, this composite film achieves efficient EMI shielding performance and high absorption characteristics in the X-band. The EMI SE values of the 2 mm thick film containing 0.03 wt% Ni@CF and 1.2 wt% Ag@GF reach 33.7 dB, while shielding effectiveness of reflection (SER) and absorption (SEA) is 0.8 dB and 32.9 dB, respectively. This result means that the composite film only reflects 17.2 % of the microwaves while shielding 99.9 % and absorbs nearly 82.7 %, exhibiting a significant absorption-dominated shielding mechanism. This flexible and efficient shielding film with a high absorption rate suits portable and wearable intelligent electronic products to reduce secondary electromagnetic pollution.

Superhydrophobic stretchable conductive composite textile with weft-knitted structure for excellent electromagnetic interference shielding and Joule heating performance

Conductive composite textiles (CCTs) as multifunctional integrated platform provide an effective path for developing flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding composites. However, conventional CCTs suffer from EMI shielding performance failure or the loss of textile's intrinsic properties under large tensile strain. Hence, in this work, a stretchable EMI shielding CCT that retains the inherent attributes of textile is proposed via weft-knitting and in-situ chemical Ag deposition. The complete and continuous silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) conductive networks bring excellent conductivity (38560 S/m) and ultrahigh EMI shielding performance (80.1 dB) in unstretched state. When tensile strain is applied, the fibers are gradually straightened from flexural state within 40 % strain, and then begin to be stretched at bigger strains, which benefits from the weft-knitting structure. Therefore, the conductive networks on the fiber surfaces are well protected from damage in the initial 40 % strain range, resulting in a stable EMI shielding performance (51.7 dB) even after 1000 cycles of 100 % tensile strain. Crucially, the CCT preserves good air permeability, softness and lightness even though a series of modifications and tensile strains are applied. Other than the EMI shielding perforamnce, the excellent superhydrophobicity (the contact angle of 158°) imparts the textile with the capability to tackle complex environments easily. Moreover, the textile can readily be heated to 73.4 °C at a low voltage of 0.5 V, showing outstanding Joule heating performance. Even after a long period of heating (3600 s), the textile maintains superior thermal stability, indicating potential applications in wearable heaters. In brief, this multifunctional CCT has excellent comprehensive properties and is expected to further expand the applications of EMI shielding textiles.

Shear-Induced Fabrication of Cellulose Nanofibril/Liquid Metal Nanocomposite Films for Flexible Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Thermal Management.

To address electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution in modern society, the development of ultrathin, high-performance, and highly stable EMI shielding materials is highly desired. Liquid metal (LM) based conductive materials have received enormous amounts of attention. However, the processing approach of LM/polymer composites represents great challenges due to the high surface tension and cohesive energy of LMs. In this study, we develop a universal one-step fabrication strategy to directly process composites containing LMs and cellulose nanofibrils (CNFs) and successfully fabricate the ultrathin, flexible, and stable EMI shielding films with an average specific EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE) value of 429 dB/mm and small thickness of only 70 μm in the wide frequency range of 8.2-18 GHz. In addition, the resulting films also exhibit excellent mechanical performance and flexibility, which endow the film with the ability to withstand repeated folding, bending, and folding into complex shapes without producing cracks or fractures. Besides, the resulting films display excellent thermal conductivity with a λ of 4.90 W/(m K) and an α of 3.17 mm2/s. Thus, the presented approach shows great potential in fabricating advanced materials for EMI shielding applications.

Succulent-Inspired Implicit Structural Change for Smart "ON/OFF" Switchable and Flexible EMI Shielding Coating.

Modern miniaturized intelligent electronics call for smart switchable and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding material for highly precise applications. However, most switchable EMI shielding materials are based on an explicit structural change. Herein, we report a succulent-inspired smart switchable MXene (WR-MXene) coating film realized by inner implicit structural change, which benefits from the insertion of our reversible large-cavity yolk-shell biomicrospheres. The novel switchable yolk-shell biomicrospheres contain a soft N-isopropylacrylamide (PNIPAM) hydrogel core, an "ON/OFF" switchable cavity (over 30% volume fraction), and a porous polydopamine (p-PDA) shell. The yolk-shell biomicrospheres can be obtained by a facile two-step polymerization and a simple drying-dehydration treatment. Because of the "ON/OFF" switchable void space brought by the smart biomicrospheres and conductive framework of MXene, an optimized ultralight and flexible WR-MXene coating film (vWR-coating film) showed both large switchable change (over 60 dB) and extraordinary EMI shielding effectiveness, reaching 95 and over 50 dB in the whole X band (8.2-12.4 GHz). These novel reversible yolk-shell biomicrospheres and the succulent-inspired switchable coating films are promising for smart flexible wearable devices and many advanced multifunctional systems needing dynamic real-time response.

A Sandwich Structural Filter Paper-AgNWs/MXene Composite for Superior Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

A thin, lightweight and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding paper composite is an urgent need for modern military confrontations. Herein, a sandwich-structured EMI shielding paper composite with an easy pavement consisting of a filter paper layer, middle AgNWs/MXene layer, and polyvinyl butyral (PVB) layer was constructed by vacuum-assisted filtration, spraying and air-drying. The middle AgNWs/MXene compound endowed the filter paper with excellent electrical conductivity (166 S cm-1) and the fabricated filter paper-AgNWs/MXene-PVB composite exhibits superior EMI shielding (30 dB) with a 141 μm thickness. Remarkably, the specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) of the filter paper-AgNWs/MXene-PVB composite reached 13,000 dB cm2 g-1 within the X-band frequency range. This value represents one of the highest reported for cellulose-based EMI shielding materials. Therefore, our sandwich-structured filter paper composite with superior EMI shielding performance can be used in the medical and military fields.

New construction strategies of carbon‐based composites for flexible electromagnetic interference shielding films

AbstractDue to the quick growth of portable/wearable devices and electronics, the development of high efficiency flexible electromagnetic interference shielding films is a hot research topic. This work discusses the latest advances in flexible carbon‐based electromagnetic interference shielding films, such as constructing desirable structures, combining with magnetic constituents, and filling with polymer matrices. The new construction strategies, preparation methods, performances, and associated mechanisms are summarized. Moreover, the synergism, multifunctionality, and potential application of outstanding carbon‐based electromagnetic interference shielding films including graphene‐based, CNT‐based, and carbon fiber‐based films are analyzed in detail. Additionally, some significant issues and prospective views on carbon‐based composites as flexible electromagnetic interference shielding films are also presented.Highlights The latest progress of flexible carbon‐based EMI shielding films Constructing desirable structure, synergizing with others, designing CPCs The relationship between preparation, structure, property, and mechanisms The synergism, multifunctionality, application of EMI shielding films Key challenges and future perspectives of carbon‐based EMI shielding films

Multifunctional Ultrathin Recycled PET‐Based Membrane for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Antibacterial and Thermal Management

AbstractWith the advent of 5G and the Internet of Things (IoT), there is a high demand for lightweight and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding membranes with multifunctional capabilities. However, the rapid advancement of technology has led to environmental deterioration, emphasizing the significance of eco‐friendly and sustainable materials for EMI shielding. In this study, a novel environment‐friendly EMI shielding membrane with electric thermotherapy function and antibacterial properties is developed. The membrane substrate utilizes recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and is sequentially coated with synthesized FeCo@C nanoparticles (NPs) and silver nanowires (Ag NWs). The membrane is then dip‐coated with PDMS to modify the surface superhydrophobicity. Experimental results affirm that the developed environment‐friendly EMI shielding membrane possesses exceptional shielding efficiency (68 dB) and can be effectively utilized for safe and low‐voltage thermotherapy (137 °C by 2 V) while exhibiting antibacterial properties.

Flexible Embedded Metal Meshes by Sputter-Free Crack Lithography for Transparent Electrodes and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

A facile and novel fabrication method is demonstrated for creating flexible poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET)-embedded silver meshes using crack lithography, reactive ion etching (RIE), and reactive silver ink. The crack width and spacing in a waterborne acrylic emulsion polymer are controlled by the thickness of the polymer and the applied stress due to heating and evaporation. Our innovative fabrication technique eliminates the need for sputtering and ensures stronger adhesion of the metal meshes to the PET substrate. Crack trench depths over 5 μm and line widths under 5 μm have been achieved. As a transparent electrode, our flexible embedded Ag meshes exhibit a visible transmission of 91.3% and sheet resistance of 0.54 Ω/sq as well as 93.7% and 1.4 Ω/sq. This performance corresponds to figures of merit (σDC/σOP) of 7500 and 4070, respectively. For transparent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, the metal meshes achieve a shielding efficiency (SE) of 42 dB with 91.3% visible transmission and an EMI SE of 37.4 dB with 93.7% visible transmission. We demonstrate the highest transparent electrode performance of crack lithography approaches in the literature and the highest flexible transparent EMI shielding performance of all fabrication approaches in the literature. These metal meshes may have applications in transparent electrodes, EMI shielding, solar cells, and organic light-emitting diodes.

Flexible, Transparent and Conductive Metal Mesh Films with Ultra-High FoM for Stretchable Heating and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.

Despite the growing demand for transparent conductive films in smart and wearable electronics for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, achieving a flexible EMI shielding film, while maintaining a high transmittance remains a significant challenge. Herein, a flexible, transparent, and conductive copper (Cu) metal mesh film for EMI shielding is fabricated by self-forming crackle template method and electroplating technique. The Cu mesh film shows an ultra-low sheet resistance (0.18 Ω □-1), high transmittance (85.8%@550nm), and ultra-high figure of merit (> 13,000). It also has satisfactory stretchability and mechanical stability, with a resistance increases of only 1.3% after 1,000 bending cycles. As a stretchable heater (ε > 30%), the saturation temperature of the film can reach over 110°C within 60s at 1.00V applied voltage. Moreover, the metal mesh film exhibits outstanding average EMI shielding effectiveness of 40.4dB in the X-band at the thickness of 2.5μm. As a demonstration, it is used as a transparent window for shielding the wireless communication electromagnetic waves. Therefore, the flexible and transparent conductive Cu mesh film proposed in this work provides a promising candidate for the next-generation EMI shielding applications.

Carbon felt from acrylic dust bags as flexible EMI shielding layer and resistive heater

Carbon felt is widely used due to its lightweight and conductive nature. However, limited research has been conducted regarding the tension applied during its preparation. This study aims to explore the influence of different loading tensions during the carbonization process on the properties of acrylic-based carbon felts. Enhanced flexibility, lower shrinkage and improved mechanical and electrical properties were found for the samples obtained in the edge loading mode. Subsequently, the performance of carbon felts in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and resistive heating was studied. The carbon felts achieved a notable EMI shielding effectiveness of 55 dB. The specific shielding effectiveness values are significantly higher than other reported materials due to their low density and high porosity. Moreover, the carbon felts displayed commendable electrical heating performance through high heating rates and superior heating efficiency. Lastly, the structural stability was assessed via self-designed bending experiments. Good stability of the resistance and heating behavior of the carbon felts across multiple bending cycles was observed. With low manufacturing costs, good stability and air permeability, the flexible carbon felt is expected to be widely used for barrier applications and wearable electronics.

Electromagnetic interference shielding of flexible carboxymethyl cellulose/MWCNT@Fe3O4 composite film with ultralow reflection loss

Nowadays, various high-performance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have enormous application potential in electronic field. However, traditional EMI shielding materials often have high conductivity, resulting in the serious mismatch between the impedance of the material surface and the free space, which will cause a large amount of reflection of electromagnetic (EM) waves, leading to secondary reflection pollution. In this paper, we report a novel flexible EMI shielding composite film with extremely low reflection loss and efficient EM wave absorption, which was prepared by assisted self-assembly based on simple vacuum filtration using carboxymethyl cellulose as the matrix and MWCNT@Fe3O4 synthesized by chemical coprecipitation as the composite functional filler. By adjusting the Fe3O4 coating degree of MWCNTs in the filler, the composite film achieved the construction of a conductive network with high Fe3O4 content. Benefit by the good adaptability of conductivity and magnetic permeability, the composite film has good impedance matching ability and microwave absorption performance. The reflection loss of the composite film with the thickness of 28 μm in the X-band was only 0.23 dB, accounting for 1.7 % of the total loss. This work provides new insights for the development of EMI materials and effective mitigation secondary EM wave reflection pollution.

Porous polypyrrole Nanotube-Based Organohydrogels: Versatile materials for robust electromagnetic interference shielding in harsh environments

Wearable and multi-functional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are an inevitable trend in order to cope with increasingly complex practical applications. In the present work, polypyrrole nanotube (PNT)-based organohydrogels (POGs) with excellent electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) were synthesized through a facile sol–gel strategy. The obtained POGs offer distinct shielding performance, anti-drying, anti-freezing, plasticity and recyclable ability. The POG with a 20 wt% PNTs filling exhibits a SET of 63.6 dB in the X-band at a thickness of 2.0 mm. After being placed at ambient temperature for 30 days and − 40 ℃ for 4 h, its SE values still retained at 50.3 dB and 59.3 dB, respectively. Moreover, after being immersed in the solvents, the POG (left in the air for 30 days) can recover flexibility and 92 % of its original EMI shielding performance. Importantly, crushing the fully dried organohydrogels into the powder and placing it again in the solvents fully restores its flexibility and EMI shielding properties. The glorious shielding and mechanical characteristics can be ascribed to the superior conductivity of PNTs and the highly crosslinked stable network of PVA, as well as the further enhancement of the crosslinked network by cellulose nanofibers. In addition, ​sensors based on POGs can effectively detect human movement and strain deformations. This work thus provides fresh insight into exploring the sustainability of flexible and wearable EMI shielding materials for handling extreme environments.

Mechanically strong, flexible, and flame-retardant Ti3C2Tx MXene-coated aramid paper with superior electromagnetic interference shielding and electrical heating performance

Undesirable electromagnetic interference (EMI) created by modern electronic devices has detrimental effects on the performance of high-precision electronic devices, information security, and human health. Therefore, lightweight, flexible, robust, and easy-to-fabricate EMI shielding materials with integrated functions are highly desirable to combat electromagnetic pollution. Herein, we report a scalable and facile strategy to prepare a flexible Ti3C2Tx MXene-coated aramid paper (MAP) with high-efficiency EMI shielding and excellent electrical heating performance. The intertwined network by aramid fibers endows the aramid paper (AP) with superior mechanical properties. After selectively single/dual coating with MXene onto AP, the MAP maintains a superior tensile strength of 73.6 MPa and enormous folding endurance of 4156 times. Owing to the exceptional electrical conductivity of MXene, the MAP with a relatively low MXene content (∼9.0 wt%) exhibits excellent overall performance with an EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 38 dB and SE/t of 422.2 dB mm−1. It’s noteworthy that the EMI SE of the MAP remains almost unchanged (37.4 dB) even after experiencing 5,000 repeated bending cycles. Additionally, the MAP shows satisfactory Joule electric-heating capability (a heating temperature rise of 130 °C at a low driving voltage of 5 V) and excellent flame-retardancy. This work provides a feasible strategy for large-scale production of flexible EMI shielding paper with multifunctional properties for future wearable facilities.

Robust, ultrathin and flexible electromagnetic interference shielding paper designed with all-polysaccharide hydrogel and MXene

An effective strategy was demonstrated to design an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding paper via a facile surface treatment on paper. TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibers (TOCN) were first integrated with Ti3C2Tx MXene, and subsequently cast onto a filter paper with cationic guar gum (CGG) in a sequential way. TOCN and CGG generated a self-assembling hydrogel and formed a MXene-containing hydrogel film on top of the filter paper. The hydrogel film enhanced the tensile strength (9.49 MPa) of composite paper, and resulted in a 17 % increase as compared to the control. The composite paper containing 80 mg MXene (namely, 2.07 mg·cm−2) showed a conductivity of 3843 S·m−1 and EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) of 49.37 dB. Furthermore, the 2-layer assembled TC-M 80 hydrogel composite paper achieved an EMI SE of 73.99 dB. Importantly, this composite paper showed higher EMI SE and lower thickness than a lot of reported materials. The presence of TOCN and CGG also protected MXene against several solvents and the incorporation of polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) further improved the durability of the composite paper. This work provides a novel and simple strategy to design robust, ultrathin and flexible EMI shielding materials, and it might also inspire other work in paper-based functional materials.

Multilayer Ti3C2Tx MXene/graphene oxide/carbon fiber fabric/thermoplastic polyurethane composite for improved mechanical and electromagnetic interference shielding performance

The development of flexible electronics has placed higher demands on electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, especially in terms of mechanical properties. Herein, a novel composite with excellent mechanical and EMI shielding properties was developed. The electrohydrodynamic atomization deposition approach was used to deposit Ti3C2Tx MXene and graphene oxide (GO) nanosheets on carbon fiber fabric (CFf) surface, then they were assembled layer by layer with thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) and thermoformed at high temperature to obtain MG/f-CFf/TPU composite. When the MXene/GO content increases, the mechanical performance of the composite is improved, mainly owing to the formation of chemical bonds and the presence of mechanical interlocking and van der Waals forces. Specifically, the tensile strength and interlaminar shear strength of the composite reach 140.98 MPa and 54.67 MPa, increasing by 72.45 % and 52.92 %, respectively. Benefitting from the unique lamellar structure, the maximum EMI-SE of MG/f-CFf/TPU composite is 38.29 dB. Besides, the MG/f-CFf/TPU composite also displays outstanding EMI-SE stability after 3000 times folding cycles. The flexible MG/f-CFf/TPU composite may provide more guidelines for the design of next-generation flexible EMI shielding materials.

Dough‐Like Aramid Nanofiber Putty‐Assisted Design of Free‐Standing Liquid Metal‐Based Films for Ultrahigh Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Gallium‐based liquid metal (LM) is expected to be an ideal candidate for flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials in wearable electronics due to its excellent electrical conductivity and extraordinary fluidity. However, it is difficult to fabricate LM as a free‐standing material due to its high surface tension and unmanageable fluidity, as well as its poor compatibility with other materials. Herein, a processing strategy is developed to fabricate free‐standing LM‐based films by vacuum filtration with the assistance of dough‐like aramid nanofiber (ANF) putty. The ANF putty improves the compatibility of ANF and LM, and also greatly improves the stability, reliability, and processability of ANF. Rational design of the structure enables the preparation of LM/ANF films with ANF as the nanobridge connecting LM micro/nanodroplets, and ANF‐LM‐ANF sandwich films with ANF as the shells, LM layer as the core. The LM/ANF film (tensile strength: 5.4 MPa) exhibits an ultrahigh EMI SE of up to 105.9 dB (8.0–12.4 GHz) at a thickness of 60 μm. While the ANF‐LM‐ANF sandwich film has higher mechanical strength (33.1 MPa), and also has good EMI shielding properties. The average EMI SE of the 10 μm thick sandwich film exceeds 45 dB in the X‐band.

Strong, hydrophobic, and transparent wood film decorated with MXene/silver nanowire for electromagnetic interference shielding and electrothermal conversion

Facing the continuous development and expansion of electronic devices and consequently increasing severe electromagnetic pollution, new requirements are put forward for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, such as high transparency, mechanically robust, and flexibility. However, developing bio-based electromagnetic shielding materials that meet the above requirements remains challenging. Herein, a bio-based transparent wood prepared by delignification and TEMPO-mediated oxidation was used as the substrate, on which a durable hybrid conductive network containing MXene, silver nanowire (AgNW), and hydrophobic regents was assembled to prepare the multifunctional transparent film. The EMI shielding effect value of the obtained hydrophobic MXene/AgNW-decorated transparent wood (H-MATW) film was 31.5 dB with a corresponding transparency of 31.7%, which ascribing to excellent electroconductivity of the MXene/AgNW hybrid conductive network. Moreover, the tensile strength of H-MATW is as high as 406.5 MPa, attributed to the dense structure and strong hydrogen bonds between the cellulose chains in the transparent wood substrate. Furthermore, it exhibited tunable and low-pressure driving electrothermal conversion performance, reaching a temperature of 91 °C at only 4 V voltage. This work reports on bio-based candidate EMI shielding transparent film that can be used in visual windows and smart devices, providing a new pathway for developing flexible EMI shielding and electrothermal conversion materials.

Flexible free-standing BixSey@C/PEDOT:PSS thermoelectric composite film with high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding

Due to the component advantages and structural features, poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene):poly(styrenesulfonic acid) (PEDOT:PSS) based inorganic–organic composite films shows huge application potential in various fields. However, there are few reports on the bi-functions of thermoelectric (TE) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding for the PEDOT:PSS-based functional films. Herein, metal–organic frameworks (MOFs)-derived BixSey@C sheets with average size about ∼ 7.32 μm are obtained via the solvothermal reaction and selenization pyrolysis treatment, and then flexible free-standing BixSey@C/PEDOT: PSS (BSCP) composite films are obtained by a feasible vacuum filtration combined with cold pressing treatment, using different contents of BixSey@C content as inorganic component. Micrometer BixSey@C sheets are uniformly dispersed in the PEDOT:PSS matrix constructing bi-functional composite films with unique layered structure. When the MOFs-derived BixSey@C content is 70%, BSCP-70 composite film gets a power factor of 11.23 μW m−1 K−2 at 340 K. Meanwhile, the BSCP-70 composite film reaches the highest average total EMI shielding effectiveness (SET) value of 45.0 dB at only 41.9 μm thickness at X-band. Based on multi-physical properties of MOF-derived BixSey@C and PEDOT:PSS, flexible BixSey@C/PEDOT:PSS composite films display good application potentiality in the flexible TE devices and EMI shielding protection.

Electrostatic induced self-assembled MXene/EPOSS for high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding materials

It is still a challenge to prepare flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials based on Ti3C2Tx MXene through a facial and scalable method. In this study, epoxied octamethyl-cyclotetrasiloxane (EPOSS) was self-assembled with Ti3C2Tx to construct EMI shielding composites via facial spraying coating. Because the EPOSS decreased the surface free energy of Ti3C2Tx in the acid-base component, the Ti3C2Tx/EPOSS suspension was able to be sprayed on carboxylated polybutadiene (CPB) uniformly. Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were explored to demonstrate the interaction energy between EPOSS and CPB with different –COOH contents. The prepared EMI shielding composite has high abrasion resistance and good bending durability because EPOSS reinforced the interface interaction between Ti3C2Tx and CPB through covalent bonds. Based on a pre-stretching spray method, the prepared composite has high surface roughness, leading to a high specific EMI shielding effectiveness of 1800 dB cm2 g−1 at a low Ti3C2Tx loading of 8.5 wt%. Additionally, the physically protective effect of Si–O–Si cages in EPOSS provided good flame retardancy. Therefore, the proposed EPOSS-assisted Ti3C2Tx spraying strategy could prepare EMI shielding materials with high effectiveness, excellent abrasion resistance, and good flame retardancy, which has a broad prospect for the application of high-power, portable, and wearable flexible electronic devices.