Functional Composite Films Research Articles

Functional composite films incorporating triphala-derived carbon dots for extending chicken preservation

Triphala-based carbon dots (T-CDs) were successfully prepared using a simple one-step hydrothermal method. T-CDs were characterized by absorbance, fluorescence, Fourier-transform infrared, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy. T-CDs showed bright blue fluorescence at 434 nm upon excitation at 360 nm. Functional composite films were prepared using poly(vinyl alcohol) and gelatin mixture by incorporating T-CDs and applied as a packaging film to extend the shelf life of chicken. The antibacterial activity of T-CDs against Listeria monocytogenes and Staphylococcus aureus was evaluated using well diffusion and colony count methods. T-CDs were evenly dispersed throughout the PVA/Gel solution to form a dense and uninterrupted film. They also formed strong bonds with polymer chains, which improved the tensile strength of the film from 32.44 to 42.70 MPa. Furthermore, the presence of T-CDs significantly enhanced the UV-blocking ability of the PVA/Gel films, achieving 99.7 % for UV-B and 97.2 % for UV-A. In addition, the PVA/Gel/T-CDs composite films showed excellent antioxidant, antimicrobial and UV-barrier properties, extending the shelf life of chicken. Therefore, the PVA/Gel/T-CDs composite films showed great potential as an active food packaging material to extend the shelf life and preserve the visual quality of packaged meat.

Burst plasma preparation of metallic nanoparticles on carbon fabrics for antibacterial and electrocatalytic applications

Metal nanoparticles have extraordinary properties, but their integration into mesostructures has been challenging. Producing uniformly dispersed nanoparticles attached to substrates in industrial quantities is difficult. Herein, a “plasmashock” method was developed to synthesize metal nanoparticles anchored on different types of carbonaceous substrates using liquid salt solution precursors. These self-supporting, nanoparticle-loaded carbon fabrics are mechanically robust and have been tested as antibacterial substrates and electrocatalysts for reducing carbon dioxide and nitrite. A piece of silver–carbon nanotube paper with a silver loading of ~0.13 mg cm−2 treated after a few-second plasmashock presents good antibacterial and electrocatalytic properties in wastewater, even after 20 bactericidal immersion cycles, due to the strong bonding of the nanoparticles to the substrate. The results prove the effectiveness of this plasmashock method in creating free-standing functional composite films or membranes.

Efficient synthesis of highly hydrophobic lignin nanoparticles and their application as nano fillers for multifunctional composite membranes

Controlling the hydrophobic behaviors of lignin nanoparticles (LNPs) is crucial and advantageous for their application as film Nano Fillers, yet it poses a significant challenge. Herein, we successfully developed a novel method for the preparation of LNPs with highly hydrophobic behaviors using ternary deep eutectic solution (DES)-H2O systems. The resulting LNPs exhibit a significantly reduced content of hydrophilic groups on their outer surface, leading to a zeta potential value of only −4.9 mV, and up to 140.0° of water contact angle (WCA). Afterwards, a “Dissolution-Restructuration” mechanism was proposed to explain the formation of the prepared LNPs. Firstly, DES demonstrates superior H-bonding capabilities, facilitating the complete disruption of inter- and intramolecular H-bonding in lignin, and resulting in the formation of a highly homogenized lignin network. Subsequently, the DES system undergoes compromise after adding water, triggering the reformation of both inter- and intramolecular H-bonding and π-π interactions. Consequently, lignin orderly self-assembles into LNPs with highly hydrophobic characteristics. Especially, using the as-prepared LNPs as Nano fillers, a series of LNPs-containing polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) films were successfully fabricated, exhibiting exceptional hydrophobic behaviors (with contact angles reaching up to 124.0°). Furthermore, the mechanical strength, UV-shielding capabilities, and biodegradability of the PVA films are significantly enhanced. This study introduces a sustainable and efficient approach for the synthesis of hydrophobic LNPs, thereby facilitating the broadening of applications for lignin-based functional composite film materials.

Incorporation of carbon dots into polyvinyl alcohol/corn starch based film and its application on shiitake mushroom preservation

Developing eco-friendly edible packaging films with multi-functional properties is highly required. This study involved synthesizing carbon dots (CDs) from dragon fruit, then incorporating them into a composite film based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA)/corn starch (CS) to create a functional package to extend the shelf life of fresh shiitake mushrooms. Functional composite films with varying levels of CDs were formulated. The films' characteristics of morphology, mechanical properties, antioxidant properties, etc. were then determined, as well as their preservation effect on the fresh shiitake mushrooms. The results showed that the PVA/CS/CDs composite film showed excellent mechanical property, Ultraviolet (UV) barrier capability, antioxidant and antimicrobial properties. Specifically, addition of 8 mg/mL CDs in the composite films reduced weight loss of shiitake mushrooms by 30.74 %, decreased the decline in soluble solids content by 10.48 %, and halved the reduction in total sugar content after a 7-day storage period compared to films without added CDs. Furthermore, the films effectively lowered the respiratory intensity and browning of the mushrooms. This research demonstrates that CDs can serve as an effective component for the development of eco-friendly edible packaging films, as well as for their application in food preservation.

Electron beam pretreatment of carboxymethyl nanofibrillar cellulose reinforced polyvinyl alcohol-based degradable composite membranes: Preparation, characterization and property optimization

This study investigated the development of biodegradable composite films blending carboxymethyl-modified peanut hull nanocelluloses (CMNCs) pretreated by electron beam irradiation with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). The films were characterized by their structure, physicochemical properties, and degradation characteristics. The carboxyl group of CMNCs and the hydroxyl group of PVA enhance the network structure of the film through hydrogen bonding. This is most notably manifested in the fact that when CMNCs with a substitution degree of 0.38 and an addition amount of 4 % were added, the CMNCs were uniformly dispersed in the PVA matrix with a flat and smooth surface of the plastic and a dense structure. Meanwhile, the water contact angle (57.14°), the tensile strength (47.28 N/mm2) and elongation at break (156 %) of the composite films were significantly increased, and the water content (12.71 %) was decreased. The hydrophobic and mechanical properties of the composite plastics were improved considerably. In addition, the addition of 4 % CMNCs with a degree of substitution of 0.66 and a high dose of electron beam irradiation (120 KGy) to PVA made the degradation rate of the composite plastic in the first week (31 %) much higher than that of pure PVA (3 %). At the same time, the light transmittance of the composite plastic decreased significantly in both visible and UV ranges. EBI pretreatment significantly improved the degradation and light barrier properties of the composite plastics. Therefore, this study may provide new ideas for EBI pretreatment-assisted chemical modification of nanocellulose to prepare functional composite films.

Development of Functional Composite Edible Films or Coatings for Fruits Preservation with Addition of Pomace Oil-Based Nanoemulsion for Enhanced Barrier Properties and Caffeine for Enhanced Antioxidant Activity.

The aim of this study was to develop functional composite edible films or coatings for fruit preservation by the addition of bioactive components in combinations that have not yet been thoroughly studied, according to the relevant literature. Edible films were initially composed of (i) chitosan (CH), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and beta-cyclodextrin (CD) (50%-37.5%-12.5% ratio), and (ii) hydroxypropyl methylcellulose (HPMC), cellulose nanocrystals (CNC) and beta-cyclodextrin (CD) (50%-37.5%-12.5% ratio). The bioactive components incorporated (5, 10 and 15% v/v) were as follows: (i) pomace oil-based nanoemulsion (NE) aiming to enhance barrier properties, and (ii) caffeine (C), aiming to enhance the antioxidant activity of films, respectively. Indeed, NE addition led to very high barrier properties (low oxygen and water vapor permeability), increased flexibility and reduced color. Furthermore, the contribution of these coatings to fresh strawberries' preservation under cold storage was investigated, with very promising results concerning weight loss, color difference, and preservation of fruit moisture and quantity of O2 and CO2 inside the packages. Additionally, C addition led to very high antioxidant activity, reduced color and improved barrier properties. Finally, the contribution of these coatings to avocado's preservation under cold storage was investigated, with very encouraging results for color difference, hardness and peroxide value of the fruit samples.

Preparation of chitosan/Tenebrio molitor larvae protein/curcumin active packaging film and its application in blueberry preservation

With growing concerns about postharvest spoilage of fruits, higher requirements have been placed on high-performance and sustainable active packaging materials. In this study, we prepared curcumin-based functional composite films using chitosan (CS) and Tenebrio molitor larvae protein (TMP) as the substrates. The effects of curcumin concentration on the structural and physicochemical properties of the composite films were determined. Curcumin was equally distributed in the polymer film through physical interactions. Furthermore, the curcumin composite film with 0.3 % addition exhibited a 27.39 % increase in elongation at break (EBA), a 37.04 % increase in the water vapor barrier, and strong UV-blocking properties and antioxidant activity compared with the control film (CS/TMP). The degradation experiment of the composite film on natural soil revealed that the composite film exhibited good biodegradability and environmental protection. Furthermore, the applicability of functional composite films for preserving blueberries was investigated. Compared with the control film and polyethylene (PE) films, the prepared composite films packaging treatment reduced the decay rate and weight loss rate of blueberries during storage, delayed softening and aging, and maintained the quality of blueberries. Using sustainable protein resources (TMP) and natural polysaccharides as packaging materials provides an economically, feasible and sustainable way to achieve the functional preservation of biomass materials.

Layer-by-layer nanoarchitectonics of graphene/polybenzimidazole functional composite film with excellent photo-thermal behavior and low electrical conductivity

Ice accumulation is considered one of the most severe threats for the safety and performance of transmission equipment, specifically power lines. Prevention of ice accumulation urgently requires photo-thermal materials with excellent photo-thermal and mechanical properties, as well as low electrical conductivity. Such materials can effectively remove ice from high voltage lines without causing electrical breakdown. Here, graphene/polybenzimidazole (GN/PBI) composite film was prepared using a layer-by-layer scraping method. The as-prepared composite film with 2.5 % graphene achieved a temperature as high as 80 ℃ under only 1.0 kW m−2 irradiation and high tensile strength of up to 139 MPa. Moreover, the obtained film maintained good insulating performance with electrical conductivity as low as 10-13 S/cm, even when filled with 5.0 wt% graphene. This work provides a general method for preparing composites with high photo-thermal and mechanical performance, as well as low electrical conductivity.

Active and intelligent packaging films based on PVA/Chitosan/Zinc oxide nanoparticles/Sweet purple potato extract as pH sensing and antibacterial wraps

With growing concerns about the environmental impact of petroleum-based products, researchers are exploring new materials for food packaging. One promising avenue is the use of nanotechnology and natural materials. In this study, active and intelligent composite films were developed by solvent casting method using polyvinyl alcohol (P), chitosan (C), zinc oxide nanoparticles (Z), and sweet purple potato extract (S). The results demonstrated that C and Z did not affect the pH-based structural transformation of pigment (S)-containing PVA solutions. SEM microstructural observation revealed a uniform distribution of zinc oxide nanoparticles in the polymeric matrix. The addition of C and Z to the composite film improved its thermal, water barrier, and antibacterial and antioxidant properties. The tensile strength of the neat film (P) was 13.0 MPa and increased to 30.8 MPa for PCZS composite film because of the good interaction between PVA and the additives. The strong antimicrobial activity of PCZS composite films against environmental pathogens was validated by antimicrobial barrier analysis. Additionally, the functional composite film (PCZS) efficiently detected chicken freshness as a function of pH change. These findings suggest that the PCZS film has great potential as a smart and active food packaging material or as an antimicrobial wrap.

Methyl cellulose/okra mucilage composite films, functionalized with Hypericum perforatum oil and gentamicin, as a potential wound dressing

There is a growing demand for the development of functional wound dressings enriched with bioactive natural compounds to improve the quality of life of the population by accelerating the healing process of chronic wounds. In this regard, a functional composite film of okra mucilage (OM) and methylcellulose (MC) incorporated with Hypericum perforatum oil (Hp) and gentamicin (G) was prepared and characterized as a wound dressing. Increasing Hp resulted in improved film properties with a more porous structure, higher WVTR, and lower surface hydrophobicity. Furthermore, incorporating Hp into OM:MC films led to increased elongation at the break while reducing the tensile strength of the films. The highest values of total antioxidant capacity (1.09–1.16 mM trolox equivalent) and total phenolic content (13.76–16.94 μg GA equivalent mL−1) were measured in the composite films containing the highest Hp concentration (1.5 %). In addition, OM:MC/HpG composite films exhibited significant antibacterial activity against both E. coli and S. aureus and prevented the transmission of these bacteria through the films. Hp incorporation reduced the cytotoxic effects of OM:MC films on BJ cells and increased the wound closure rate in vitro. In conclusion, the developed OM:MC/HpG composite film can be a promising candidate as a novel wound dressing with its superior properties.

Self-assembled electrospun PVA/CMC/PEO composite fiber film material with enhanced dye adsorption performance for wastewater treatment

As society rapidly progresses, environmental issues, including water pollution and ecosystem degradation are steadily worsening. In this work, a novel functional nanofiber composite film based on polyvinyl alcohol (PVA), carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), and polyethylene oxide (PEO) were prepared by using electrospinning technique. The incorporation of PEO facilitated a more concentrated nanofiber diameter distribution. The prepared composite films were further modified with glutaraldehyde vapor to enhance their hydrophobicity and improve pore-making capabilities on the fiber surface. The nanocomposite fiber film, with its simple preparation process, cost-effectiveness, and environmental friendliness, exhibits a promising prospect in addressing environmental challenges. Notably, the designed nanofiber films demonstrated remarkable efficiency in dye adsorption, owing to the high specific surface area of the fibers and the selective binding of active groups on the fiber surface to the dyes. Moreover, they showed good reusability, which is of great significance for adsorbents. Therefore, the obtained composite films from environmentally friendly preparation process has great application potential in wastewater treatment and dye removal.

Gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol)-based dual functional composite films integrated with metal-organic frameworks and anthocyanin for active and intelligent food packaging

Innovative active and pH-colorimetric composite films were fabricated from gelatin/poly(vinyl alcohol) (Gel/PVA) integrated with copper-based metal-organic frameworks (Cu-MOFs) and red cabbage anthocyanin (RCA). The incorporation of Cu-MOFs improved the tensile strength, water resistance, and UV shielding properties of the developed composite films. The addition of anthocyanins and 3 wt% Cu-MOFs endowed the polymer matrix with excellent antioxidant (100 % against ABTS and DPPH radicals) and antibacterial (against Gram-positive and Gram-negative foodborne pathogenic bacteria) functions. The fabricated composite films exhibited significant color change at alkaline conditions of pH 7–12 and a marked color change upon exposure to ammonia. The designed indicator films used for shrimp freshness tracking and a visual color change from pink (for fresh shrimp) to green (for spoiled shrimp) was observed during storage at 28 °C for 24 h. The potential applications of the engineered composite films were studied by shrimp packaging, and the quality parameters of packaged samples were monitored during storage. The synergistic effects of adding anthocyanins and MOF nanostructures works for better product freshness preservation and responds well to shrimp spoilage level, introducing novel active and intelligent packaging options for practical smart packaging applications.

Renewable and functional composite film from epoxidized Eucommia ulmoides gum and industrial lignin

High-performance eco-friendly composites are prepared from epoxidized Eucommia ulmoides gum (EEUG) and industrial lignin (EHL) using thermal pressing method. The preparation of biodegradable polymeric materials with both great strength and toughness remains a huge challenge. Herein, lignin significantly strengthens the EEUG matrix. Specifically, the EEUG-EHL composite film (with 10% EHL) exhibits a high tensile strength (24.45 MPa) and a powerful strain (1097.52%), increases of 23.63 and 127.07 over the EEUG sample, respectively. The composite films exhibit excellent oil resistance and hydrophobicity (94.5°). Moreover, the composite films show good shape memory, self-healing, and recyclable regeneration capabilities. The outstanding performance stem from EEUG and EHL cross-linking network. This research demonstrates a practical and sustainable approach to recycling lignin into high-performance EEUG reinforcing fillers, providing a new insight into the rational design of recyclable, healable, and adaptable EEUG-based composites.

Physico-chemical and antimicrobial characteristics of novel biodegradable films based on gellan and carboxymethyl cellulose containing rosemary essential oil

The purpose of the current investigation was to produce a novel functional composite biodegradable film by Gellan (Gla) and Carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC) biopolymers containing rosemary essential oils (REO) and evaluate their physicochemical and antimicrobial features. The film containing 5 % REO, due to its better mechanical properties (UTS = 13.44 ± 0.30 Mpa and SB = 21.14 ± 1.15 %) compared to other emulsified samples containing REO, was selected as the optimal film. Furthermore, it had less water vapor permeability (WVP = 6.60 ± 0.31 (g/mhPa) × 10−8) in comparison to control sample (8.21 ± 0.10 (g/mhPa) × 10−8) and the best color properties among the samples. The Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) images didn't show the phenomenon of agglomeration and point accumulation of REO. Also, 5 % of REO contributed to the increased compactness of the film in comparison to the film without the REO. Based on the results of Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) spectra, no new chemical bonds were created by adding REO to the biopolymer substrate, and the REO was well dispersed and distributed among the Gla-CMC chains throughout the film substrate. Adding 5 % REO showed antioxidant effects. Considering the antimicrobial tests, all films containing REO had antimicrobial effects against the Staphylococcus aureus, Escherichia coli, Salmonella typhimurium, and Pseudomonas fluorescens bacterial strains.

Incorporation of silver nanoparticles/curcumin/clay minerals into chitosan film for enhancing mechanical properties, antioxidant and antibacterial activity

It is popular that natural organics are served as green reducing and end-capping reagent for synthesis of functional nanoparticles. In this study, curcumin, a natural pigment, was employed to prepare silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) as a coloring, reducing and end-capping agent by an eco-friendly, economic and facile approach in the presence of different clay minerals, including palygorskite, montmorillonite and mixed-dimensional palygorskite clay. It was found that the phenolic hydroxyl groups or carbonyl groups of curcumin played a crucial role to reduce silver ions into AgNPs with the ginger color. Meanwhile, incorporation of clay minerals could induce the in-situ heterogeneous nucleation of AgNPs on the surface or/and interlayer of the involved clay minerals. It effectively prevented from the aggregations and resulted in uniform dispersion of AgNPs with a diameter of 30–40 nm. Furthermore, the as-prepared nanocomposites exhibited a higher antioxidant (>90%) and antibacterial activity. Due to the synergistic effect of each component among the nanocompositions, the nanocomposites derived from different clay minerals were employed as multifunctional nanofillers to design functional chitosan composite films. By contrast, the chitosan composite films containing curcumin-capped AgNPs/mixed-dimensional palygorskite clay nanocomposites exhibited the best mechanical properties, antioxidant and antibacterial activities. Compared with the chitosan films, the tensile strength and elongation at break of composite films increased by 15.90 MPa and 27.27%, respectively. The inactivation rate of the composite films against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus had reached 100%. Therefore, the obtained composite film with the ginger color exhibited excellent mechanical, water resistance, antioxidant and antibacterial properties, and it was expected to develop a great potential functional packaging materials.

Functional Chitosan-Based Composite Film Incorporated with 3-(Methylthio) Propyl Isothiocyanate/α-Cyclodextrin Inclusion Complex for Chicken Meat Preservation.

The 3-(Methylthio) propyl isothiocyanate (MTPITC)-loaded inclusion complex prepared by α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) was incorporated into chitosan (CS) film to fabricate a packaging material for fresh chicken meat preservation. Scanning electron microscope images indicated homogenous dispersion of the MTPITC-α-CD in CS polymer. Fourier-transform infrared and X-ray diffraction techniques revealed that MTPITC-α-CD was incorporated into the CS film matrix by the physical interactions. The introduction of MTPITC-α-CD improved the UV-vis light-blocking ability, with a slight loss of transparency. Although the water solubility and water vapor barrier capacity were not significantly influenced by the addition of MTPITC-α-CD, the antioxidant attribute was significantly enhanced. The CS-MTPITC-α-CD film displayed obvious and sustained suppressive effects against Salmonella typhimurium, with the inhibition zone diameters of 14.7 mm at 12 h and 7.3 mm at 24 h, respectively. Moreover, the quality index analysis indicated that the CS-MTPITC-α-CD film-wrapped fresh chicken, during refrigerated storage, exhibited better preservative efficacy than the control groups, with the total viable counts of 6.5 Log CFU/g, total volatile base nitrogen of 8.4 mg/100 g, pH of 6.6, thiobarbituric acid-reactive substances of 0.2 mg/kg, and the sensory score of 5 at day 16. Collectively, these results suggest that CS-MTPITC-α-CD film is a prospective packaging candidate for delaying the quality deterioration of chicken meat.

Development of functional hydroxyethyl cellulose-based composite films for food packaging applications.

Cellulose-based functional composite films can be a good substitute for conventional plastic packaging to ensure food safety. In this study, the semi-transparent, mechanical strengthened, UV-shielding, antibacterial and biocompatible films were developed from hydroxyethyl cellulose Polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) and ε-polylysine (ε-PL) were respectively used as reinforcing agent and antibacterial agent, and chemical cross-linking among these three components were constructed using epichlorohydrin The maximum tensile strength and elongation at break were 95.9 ± 4.1 MPa and 148.8 ± 2.6%, respectively. TG-FTIR and XRD analyses indicated that chemical structure of the composite films could be well controlled by varying component proportion. From UV-Vis analysis, the optimum values of the percentage of blocking from UV-A and UV-B and ultraviolet protection factor values were 98.35%, 99.99% and 60.25, respectively. Additionally, the composite films exhibited good water vapor permeability, swelling behavior, antibacterial activity and biocompatibility. In terms of these properties, the shelf life of grapes could be extended to 6 days after packing with the composite film.

Rheology-Guided Assembly of a Highly Aligned MXene/Cellulose Nanofiber Composite Film for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Infrared Stealth.

Delicately aligned structures of two-dimensional (2D) MXene nanosheets have demonstrated positive effects on applications, especially in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and infrared (IR) stealth. However, precise regulation of structural assembly by theory-guided solution processing is still a great challenge. Herein, one-dimensional (1D) cellulose nanofibers (CNFs) with a high aspect ratio are applied as a reinforcing agent and a rheological modifier for MXene/CNF colloids to fabricate aligned MXene-based materials for EMI shielding and IR stealth. Notably, a systematical rheological study of the MXene/CNF colloids is proposed to determine the optimal solution-processing conditions for finely oriented component arrangement requirements and provides in-depth information on the interactions between the components. The delicately regulated orientation structure assembled by shear inducement is convincingly demonstrated through micro-CT and wide-angle X-ray diffraction/small-angle X-ray scattering (WAXD/SAXS), which endows the MXene/CNF film with a significantly enhanced electrical conductivity of 46 685 S m-1, a tensile strength of 281.7 MPa, and Young's modulus of 14.8 GPa. Furthermore, the highly aligned structure of the ultrathin film possesses a great enhancement in EMI shielding effectiveness (50.2 dB) and IR stealth (0.562 emissivity). These findings provide a fruitful understanding of the optimized fabrication in solution processing of high-performance MXene-based functional composite films and open up a great opportunity for the development of multifunctional stealth materials.

Construction of biocomputing systems based on switchable bioelectrocatalysis and stimulus-responsive film electrodes

The construction of biocomputing platforms, particularly based on multiple stimulus-responsive film electrodes and switchable bioelectrocatalysis, is briefly overviewed. The bioelectrocatalysis mechanisms and switch principles for common redox biomacromolecules, such as horseradish peroxidase (HRP), glucose oxidase (GOD), natural deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) and coenzyme nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NADH), are briefly introduced. Reversible switch systems are exemplified with smart hydrogel polymer films, functional nanomaterial composite films, inorganic coordination polymers and molecularly imprinted polymer (MIP) films modified on electrode surfaces, demonstrating different electrochemical and optical properties depending on external stimuli. This review highlights the various biomolecular logic gates, logic circuits and devices including sequential circuits achieved due to biocatalytic reactions combined with stimulus-responsive film electrodes. Future developments leading to intelligent multianalyte biosensing and information processing at the molecular level based on switchable and tunable bioelectrocatalysis properties are greatly expected as a research trend in this area.

Flexible and lightweight MXene/silver nanowire/polyurethane composite foam films for highly efficient electromagnetic interference shielding and photothermal conversion

Dual functional composite films with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and photothermal conversion properties are urgently demanded for modern microelectronic devices, especially to be used in an extreme environment. Here, flexible and lightweight MXene/AgNW/PU composite foam films were constructed by incorporating 1D AgNWs and 2D MXene in a PU matrix for highly efficient electromagnetic interference shielding and photothermal conversion. The 3D conductive network of AgNWs and MXene as well as the porous structure with multiple interfaces facilitated a high shielding effectiveness of 50 dB at a low density of 0.15 g/cm3 in X-band with a high absorption-dominated shielding efficiency of 86%. In the frequency of Ku-band, the composite foam film presented a higher shielding efficiency of 60 dB with the absorption efficiency as high as 95%, representing an excellent absorption-dominated shielding performance. The composite foam film remained an excellent EMI shielding efficiency of 41.5 dB after 1000 cycles of compression and release. Furthermore, the composite foam film showed a high photothermal conversion property. The flexible and lightweight MXene/AgNW/PU composite foam films provided a facile strategy for applications of EMI shielding and photothermal conversion in aerospace as well as portable smart electronics.