Lightweight silver@carbon microsphere@graphene (Ag@CMS@GR) composite materials for highly efficiency electromagnetic interference shielding properties

In this article, lightweight silver@carbon microsphere@graphene (Ag@CMS@GR) composite materials were fabricated. First, carbon microsphere (CMS) was prepared by redox hydrothermal method in the presence of FeCl₃ and polyvinyl alcohol. Next, on the surface, silver was deposited to form Ag@CMS particles. And finally, the graphene sheets were added to connect Ag@CMS particles to obtain Ag@CMS@GR composites. Because of the silver nanoparticle may form a conductive pathway, Ag@CMS with relative high content of silver nanoparticles show superior EMI shielding properties. Next, graphene was introduced into Ag@CMS with relative low content of silver particles to form Ag@CMS@GR composites, which is helpful for decreasing the apparent density of composites to around 1.01 g·cm⁻³. And the composites also show good EMI shielding properties. The highest SE and specific SE values of Ag@CMS@GR reached 39.26 dB and 38.87 dB·cm³·g⁻¹ with 5 wt % graphene content. The EMI shielding mechanism of Ag@CMS@GR composites was discussed. It can be potentially used for lightweight EMI shielding applications. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2020 , 137, 48459.     

Highly filled multilayer thermoplastic/graphene conducting composite structures with high strength and thermal stability for electromagnetic interference shielding applications

Polyvinyl chloride (PVC)/graphene and poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA)/graphene nanocomposites were made by solution casting technique with graphene weight fractions of 1, 5, 10, 15, and 20%. Multilayer structures of the composites were made by hot compression technique to study their electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE). Tensile strength, hardness, and storage modulus of the nanocomposites were studied in relation with graphene weight fraction. There has been a substantial increase in the electrical conductivity and EMI SE of the composites with 15–20% filler loading. Differential thermal analysis of the composites shows improved thermal stability with an increase in graphene loading. PMMA/graphene composites have better thermal stability, whereas PVC/graphene composites have superior mechanical properties. About 2 mm thick multilayer structures of PMMA/graphene and PVC/graphene composites show a maximum EMI SE of 21 dB and 31 dB, respectively, in the X band at 20 wt % graphene loading. © 2019 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2019 , 136, 47792.     

Magnetite/graphene oxide/Prussian blue composite with robust effectiveness for electromagnetic interference shielding

Considering the promising efficiency of composites, in the current study, a graphene oxide (GO)-magnetite-Prussian blue (PB) composite material was prepared. The composite exhibited electrical conductivity, magnetic permeability, and permittivity nature, and was evaluated using electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding studies. GO was developed by the Hummer's method, ferrite (Fe₃O₄) was incorporated by the sol-gel method, and PB was introduced in the mixture by an in-situ process. The fabricated samples were studied by X-ray diffraction, Raman Spectroscopy, Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy along with EMI shielding efficiency (SE) evaluation. The SE of ?71.66 dB of reflection losses was measured at a frequency of 1.5 MHz. The GO/Fe₃O₄/PB composite provided the best results for the detection in the 1–18 MHz frequency range because of its excellent electric and magnetic properties. The obtained results demonstrated that the GO/Fe₃O₄/PB composite has promising potential applications in EMI shielding.     

Synthesis and tunable electromagnetic shielding and absorption performance of the three-dimensional SiC nanowires/carbon fiber composites

Silicon-carbide nanowires (SiCnws) have been considered as dielectric loss materials for application in the field of electromagnetic wave (EMW) attenuation. In this study, SiCnws/carbon fiber (CF) composites were fabricated using precursor infiltration and pyrolysis process for the in-situ growth of SiCnws. The SiCnw fraction of the SiCnws/CF composites could be adjusted using various catalysts. At a small SiCnw fraction (38 wt%), the composites exhibited excellent EMW absorption performance with the minimum reflection loss of ? 18.3 dB when their thickness was only 1.2 mm and can cover the entire X and Ku bands by adjusting the material thickness. They transformed from EMW absorption performance to electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding property with the increase in SiCnw fraction from 38 wt% to 73 wt%, reaching an EMI shielding effectiveness of 31.25 dB. In addition, the density of the SiCnws/CF composites was only 0.31–0.41 g/cm³, and their compressive strength can reach 0.61–0.99 MPa with excellent high-temperature stability. Therefore, the SiCnws/CF composite presents a promising EMW absorption and EMI shielding material that can be applied in harsh environments.     

Highly conductive and flexible bilayered MXene/cellulose paper sheet for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding applications

In this work, a robust and flexible bilayered MXene/cellulose paper sheet with superhigh electrical conductivity was prepared via vacuum-assisted filtration and a subsequent hot-pressing process for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. By tightly assembling few-layered MXene (f-Ti₃C₂T_x) on the cellulose substrate via hydrogen bonds, an effective and interconnected conductive network was constructed in the paper sheet, resulting in a high electrical conductivity of 774.6–5935.4 S m^?1 at various f-Ti₃C₂T_x loadings. The highly conductive MXene layer can promptly reflect a great amount of incident EM waves, a process which preceded the transmission of EM waves in the cellulose matrix. Owing to the highly efficient reflection-dominated EMI shielding mechanism, the resultant bilayered MXene/cellulose paper sheets exhibit excellent EMI shielding effectiveness of 34.9–60.1 dB and specific EMI shielding efficiency of 290.6–600.7 dB mm^?1. Moreover, the MXene/cellulose paper sheets demonstrated improved mechanical strength (up to 25.7 MPa) and flexibility due to the mechanical frame effect acted by the cellulose substrate. Consequently, the robust and flexible bilayered MXene/cellulose paper sheet is a promising candidate for application in next-generation electric devices.     

SiC encapsulated Fe@CNT ultra-high absorptive shielding material for high temperature resistant EMI shielding

Carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated with ferromagnetic materials have promising potential in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. In this work, CNT sponges with increasing density were fabricated by filling them with magnetic Fe nanowires of mutative filling ratios via chemical vapor deposition (CVD). Results indicated that Fe@CNT composites with the highest density endowed the most remarkable average SE_T value of 70.01 dB (more than 99.99999% absorption), showing an ultra-high EMI shielding performance. However, the susceptibility to oxidation of carbon materials has restricted its further development in high-temperature EMI shielding applications. Therefore, the Fe@CNT composites were encapsulated by silicon carbide (SiC) with satisfactory oxidation resistance. Thereafter, the average SE_T value of SiC encapsulated a higher density Fe@CNT sponge decreased to an adequate value of 36.48 dB due to the huge loss of electrical conductivity. However, the SE_T value of it only dropped by about 1.20 as the temperature went up from 25 to 600 °C, demonstrating an excellent stability under high temperature conditions. As a proof of concept, the Fe@CNT/SiC composites with adequate EMI shielding performance and satisfactory oxidation resistance suggest its prospect in high temperature resistant EMI shielding.     

Broadband electromagnetic shielding performance of carbon nanotube-carbon fibre/silicon carbide cross-scale laminated composites

A carbon nanotube-carbon fibre/silicon carbide (CNT-CF/SiC) laminated composite, with a density of 1.61 g/cm³, thickness of 2.7–3.0 mm and conductivity of 6.10 S/cm, was prepared by densifying a single layer with boron-modified phenolic resin and then welding it with resin-derived carbon layer by layer. This laminated composite was alternately composed of a relatively dense CNT buckypaper/SiC composite layer and a relatively porous three-dimensional needled CF felt/SiC composite layer. The CF felt with a laminated constructure produced a laminated substructure nested within the layers. Expanded graphite with laminated structures produced laminated substructures nested within the interfaces. The average total shielding efficiency values of the composites with 5 layers (CNT-CF/SiC-5), 4 layers and a CNT buckypaper/SiC composite layer on the top surface, and 4 layers and a CF felt/SiC composite layer on the top surface were 45.14, 37.70 and 38.85 dB, respectively, throughout the X-band and were 52.31, 45.56 and 43.54 dB, respectively, throughout the Ku-band. The transmission coefficient of CNT-CF/SiC-5 was as low as 10^?5?10^?6 orders of magnitude over the entire frequency range of 8.2–18 GHz except for very few frequency points. The optimal number of layers for this multilevel and multiscale laminated composite is believed to be 5.     

Annealed Ti3C2Tx: A green and tunable electromagnetic interference shielding material

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are receiving more and more attentions and becoming a hot research topic because of their wide range of applications in life, defense and other fields. The development of green EMI shielding materials with tunable shielding effectiveness (SE) is a high pursuit and a great challenge for researchers. Here, we restricted the growth of TiO₂ on the Ti₃C₂T_x surface by adjusting the annealing temperature. This regulated the dipole and interface polarization and the construction of the conductive network, and improved the impedance matching. The Ti₃C₂T_x/TiO₂ heterostructured material was rationally designed and achieved an efficient EMI SE of 35.1 dB at 18 GHz when the annealing temperature was 600 °C. This work develops new avenues for the future design of efficient, controllable green EMI shielding materials. Simultaneously, this heterostructured material has great potential as a versatile green shielding material for civil, commercial and military aerospace applications.     

Enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding performance of geopolymer nanocomposites by incorporating carbon nanotubes with controllable silica shell

The development of construction materials with exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance is urgently needed to restrict the admittance of electromagnetic (EM) radiation. In this work, silica (SiO₂)-coated carbon nanotubes (S-CNT) with different shell thicknesses (～7, ～10, and ～15 nm) were prepared by a sol-gel method. The effect of SiO₂ shell thickness on the EMI shielding performance of the resulting geopolymer nanocomposites was studied. The coated SiO₂ shell effectively facilitated the dispersion of CNT in the geopolymer matrix due to the chemical reaction between SiO₂ and the geopolymer. The dispersability of modified CNT could be further improved by increasing the thickness of the SiO₂ shell. However, electron delocalization was hindered by the insulating SiO₂ shell. The conductive nature of CNT was restored during geopolymerization when the SiO₂ shell was thin. A high EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 24.2 dB was achieved for the geopolymer nanocomposite containing 5 vol% S-CNT with a thin SiO₂ shell. The value achieved was more competitive than reported composites for construction when the sample thickness and filler content were considered.     

Electromagnetic interference shielding of graphite/acrylonitrile butadiene styrene composites

Dispersion of graphite within the acrylonitrile butadiene styrene matrix demonstrates enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding of composites through the use of tumble mixing technique. A shielding effectiveness of 60 dB with 15 wt % of graphite has been achieved. D shore hardness data revealed a little decrease in hardness of composites with rise in graphite content. DC conductivity measurements revealed a fairly low percolation threshold at 3 wt % of graphite. The conductivity exhibited by 15 wt % composite is 1.66 × 10⁻¹ S/cm. These composites are fit for use as an effective and convenient EMI shielding material because of easy processing, better hardness, light weight, and, reasonable shielding efficiency. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2011     

Modeling for the electromagnetic properties and EMI shielding of Cf/mullite composites in the gigahertz range

The electromagnetic properties and EMI shielding effectiveness of C_f/mullite composites via the spark plasma sintering were intensively investigated in the gigahertz range (8.2–12.4 GHz). Experimental results have revealed excellent electromagnetic properties and a high value of EMI shielding effectiveness (nearly 40 dB) for C_f/mullite composites with 1.65 vol% carbon fillers at thickness of 2 mm. We quantitatively characterize the contributions of microstructural features to overall EMI shielding effectiveness using a micromechanics-based homogenization model. The EMI shielding effectiveness enhances with respect to the C_f volume concentration before the threshold. The increasing trend of EMI shielding effectiveness with respect to AC (alternating current) frequency can be attributed to enhanced conductivity at high gigahertz range. It is demonstrated that filler and frequency dependent interface effects are essential to obtain excellent electromagnetic properties of C_f/mullite composite. The present research can provide guidances for the design of ceramic-based composites applied in high-temperature EMI shielding devices.     

Ultra-high-temperature mechanical behaviors of two-dimensional carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide composites: Experiment and modeling

Carbon fiber reinforced silicon carbide (C/SiC) composites are enabling materials for components working in ultra-high-temperature extreme environments. However, their mechanical properties reported in the literature are mainly limited to room and moderate temperatures. In this work, an ultra-high-temperature testing method for the mechanical properties of materials in inert atmosphere is presented based on the induction heating technology. The flexural properties of a 2D plain-weave C/SiC are studied up to 2600 °C in inert atmosphere for the first time. The deformation characteristics and failure mechanisms at elevated temperatures are gained. Theoretical models for the high-temperature Young’s modulus and tensile strength of 2D ceramic matrix composites are then developed based on the mechanical mechanisms revealed in the experiments. The factors contributing to the mechanical behaviors of C/SiC at elevated temperatures are thus characterized quantitatively. The results provide significant understanding of the mechanical behaviors of C/SiC under ultra-high-temperature extreme environment conditions.     

Improved dielectric and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of ferrocene-modified polycarbosilane derived SiC/C composite ceramics

In order to enhance the dielectric and electromagnetic interference shielding (EMI) properties, the SiC/C composite ceramics were fabricated by pyrolysis of ferrocene-modified polycarbosilane. The microstructure evolutions, dielectric properties, EMI and microwave absorption properties of SiC/C composite ceramics were investigated. The increases of both ferrocene contents and annealing temperatures led to the increases of crystallizations of SiC and carbons. Crystallized carbons including carbon nanowires, turbostratic carbons, onion-like carbons and graphene-like carbons were obtained in the materials. The carbon nanowires were longest when the 5 wt.% ferrocene-modified polycarbosilane was annealed at 1250 °C. These carbons played a more important role than SiC in the increases of dielectric and EMI properties. The average real and imaginary permittivities of materials increased from 4.4 and 0.7 to 38.9 and 39.6, respectively. The materials exhibited high total shielding effectiveness, high absorption shielding effectiveness and low reflection shielding effectiveness, which were 36.6, 30.1 and 6.5 dB, respectively.     

Dielectric and electromagnetic interference shielding properties of zeolite 13X and carbon black nanoparticles based PVDF nanocomposites

In the present work, Zeolite 13X and carbon black nanoparticles (CBNPs) reinforced polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) nanocomposites were obtained by a simple solvent casting technique. The structural, morphological and thermal properties of PVDF/Zeolite 13X/CBNPs nanocomposites with various loadings of Zeolite 13X and CBNPs were investigated using Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, Scanning electron microscopy and thermo-gravimetric analysis. The dielectric studies were carried out in the 50 Hz–10 MHz frequency range at room temperature. The electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) of PVDF/Zeolite 13X/CBNPs nanocomposite was investigated in the 8–18 GHz frequency region (X-band and Ku-band). The maximum EMI SE of approximately −11.1 dB (8–12 GHz) and −11.5 dB (12–18 GHz) was observed for PVDF/CBNPs nanocomposites with 10 wt% loading of CBNPs. These findings emphasize the application of PVDF/Zeolite 13X/CBNPs nanocomposites as a potential EMI shielding material.     

High electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness in MgO composites reinforced by aligned graphene platelets

Graphene has been considered as an excellent filler to reinforce ceramics with enhanced properties. However, the uniform dispersion and controlled orientation of graphene sheets in a ceramic matrix have become major challenges toward higher performance. In this paper, we prepared MgO matrix composites with parallel graphene layers through the intercalation of the precursor into expandable graphite. We obtained a high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of ~30 dB, due to the multiple reflections and absorptance of electromagnetic waves between the parallel graphene layers. The hardness and strength of the MgO composite were also increased by introducing parallel graphene layers. All these properties suggest that the graphene/MgO composite represents a promising electromagnetic shielding material.     

High‐performance electromagnetic interference shielding material based on an effective mixing protocol

A facile and economic method is developed for the fabrication of new lightweight materials with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance, good mechanical properties and low electrical percolation threshold through melt mixing. Electrical properties, DC conductivity, EMI shielding performance and mechanical properties of poly(trimethylene terephthalate) (PTT)/multiwalled carbon nanotube (MWCNT) nanocomposites with varying filler loading of MWCNTs were investigated. High‐resolution transmission electron microscopy was used to determine the distribution of MWCNTs in the PTT matrix. The newly developed nanocomposites show excellent dielectric and EMI shielding properties. Theoretical electrical percolation threshold was achieved at 0.21 wt% loading of MWCNTs, due to the high aspect ratio and the three‐dimensional network formation of MWCNTs. Experimental DC conductivity values were compared with those of theoretical models such as the Voet, Bueche and Scarisbrick models, which showed good agreement. The PTT/3% MWCNT composite showed an EMI shielding value of ～38 dB (99.99% attenuation) with a sample thickness of 2 mm. Power balance was used to determine the actual contribution of reflection, absorption and transmission loss to the total EMI shielding value. The nanocomposites showed good tensile and impact properties and the composite with 2% MWCNTs exhibited an improvement in tensile strength of as much as 96%. © 2018 Society of Chemical Industry     

Asymmetrically structured polyvinylidene fluoride composite for directional high absorbed electromagnetic interference shielding

In the face of electromagnetic pollution issues caused by the advancement of communication technology, it is of great significance to develop materials with high electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capability as well as high absorption efficiency. The nickel-coated silicon carbide whiskers (Ni@SiCw)/graphene nanosheets (GNP)/polyvinylidene fluoride (PVDF) EMI shielding composites with the asymmetric structure are constructed by simple solution mixing and multiple hot pressing. Specifically, the Ni@SiCw in the top layer is prepared by simple electroless plating, and the saturation magnetization intensity reaches 12.50 emu/g. The combination of dielectric and magnetic losses provides reliable electromagnetic wave absorption performance with a reflection coefficient less than 0.35. GNP is selectively enriched in the bottom layer with a maximum conductivity of 85.43 S/m. The composite shows an EMI shielding performance of 36.83 dB when the GNP content is just 4 wt%, which means 99.98% of microwaves can be shielded. Furthermore, due to the distinct structure, the composites display various shielding mechanisms when electromagnetic waves are incident from different faces. Without a doubt, this asymmetric structure offers a novel approach to the preparation of directional EMI shielding materials.     

Biomorphic silicon/silicon carbide ceramics from birch powder

A novel process has been developed for the fabrication of biomorphic silicon/silicon carbide (Si/SiC) ceramics from birch powder. Fine birch powder was hot-pressed to obtain pre-templates, which were subsequently carbonized to acquire carbon templates, and these were then converted into biomorphic Si/SiC ceramics by liquid silicon infiltration at 1550 °C. The prepared ceramics are characterized by homogeneous microstructure, high density, and superior mechanical properties compared to biomorphic Si/SiC ceramics from birch blocks. Their maximum density has been measured as 3.01 g/cm³. The microstructure is similar to that of conventional reaction-bonded silicon carbide. The Vicker's hardness, flexural strength, elastic modulus, and fracture toughness of the biomorphic Si/SiC were 19.6 ± 2.2 GPa, 388 ± 36 MPa, 364 ± 22 GPa, and 3.5 ± 0.3 MPa m^1/2, respectively. The outstanding mechanical properties of the biomorphic Si/SiC ceramics are assessed to derive from the improved uniform microstructure of the pre-templates made from birch powder.     

Preparation of fine Ni particles and their shielding effectiveness for electromagnetic interference

Fine Ni particles with sphere‐like architecture were synthesized via a wet chemical route in distilled water. The resulting fine Ni particles and/or commercial microsized Ni particles were then added to a mixed resin solution to fabricate resin‐based conductive composites. The shielding effectiveness (SE) of the resultant conductive composites for electromagnetic interference was measured as a function of nickel mass fraction. The results indicated that the SE values of the two kinds of Ni‐containing resin‐based composites increased with increasing loading of Ni filler. Moreover, the fine Ni particles, in the absence of any protective agents, were liable to aggregate for the sake of decreasing surface energy, which could be well avoided by ultrasonic disposal. The resin‐based conductive composites containing a low concentration (33.3 wt %) of the ultrasonically disposed fine Ni particles recorded an SE value as much as above 22 dB in a frequency range of 130 MHz to 1.5 GHz, which could not be realized for the composites filled with microsized nickel particles unless the mass fraction of the Ni filler in this case was as high as 50.0 wt %. In other words, the ultrasonically disposed fine Ni particles could be used as efficient lightweight filler for shielding of electromagnetic interference. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Appl Polym Sci, 2008     

Electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness and skin depth of poly(vinylidene fluoride)/particulate nano‐carbon filler composites: prediction of electrical conductivity and percolation threshold

The addition of various particulate nano‐carbon (PNC) fillers to heat‐resistant poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF) was carried out to prepare conductive composites for use in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding application. Three different PNC fillers, namely N472 (Vulcan XC‐72), N550 (Fast Extruding Furnace) and N774 (Semi‐Reinforcing Furnace), were used in various concentrations to prepare composite systems PVDF/N472, PVDF/N550 and PVDF/N774 by solution casting followed by a moulding technique. These PNC fillers have a particle size at the nanometre level, but they have an aggregating tendency; both these characteristics influence the properties of composites to which such fillers are added. The percolation threshold of the PVDF/PNC composites was theoretically determined using the sigmoidal Boltzmann model and classical theory and compared. Theoretical models were also used to predict composition‐dependent electrical conductivity. The electrical conductivity is correlated to that of EMI shielding effectiveness at ambient temperature. © 2019 Society of Chemical Industry