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Phthalonitrile-Based Carbon Foam with High Specific Mechanical Strength and Superior Electromagnetic Interference
Liying Zhang1, Ming Liu1, Sunanda Roy2
1Temasek Laboratories, Nanyang Technological University , 50 Nanyang Drive, 637553, Singapore.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|February 25, 2016
Summary
A novel ultralight carbon foam offers superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. This advanced material provides high shielding effectiveness and mechanical strength, ideal for reducing electromagnetic pollution from electronic devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Polymer Chemistry
Background:
- Growing demand for electronic devices increases electromagnetic pollution.
- Effective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are crucial.
- Existing materials often compromise weight or mechanical properties.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop an ultralight carbon foam for high EMI shielding.
- To achieve weight reduction without sacrificing mechanical integrity.
- To investigate the EMI shielding mechanisms of the novel material.
Main Methods:
- Direct carbonization of phthalonitrile (PN)-based polymer foam.
- Characterization of material density, specific compressive strength, and EMI shielding effectiveness (SE).
- Analysis of the material's nitrogen content and shielding mechanism.
Main Results:
- An ultralight carbon foam with a density of 0.15 g/cm³ was successfully prepared.
- The material exhibited a high EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of ~51.2 dB.
- Specific compressive strength was ~6.0 MPa·cm³/g, and specific EMI SE reached 341.1 dB·cm³/g.
- The primary shielding mechanism was identified as absorption, attributed to its nitrogen-rich structure (3.3 wt% nitrogen).
Conclusions:
- The novel carbon foam offers excellent EMI shielding performance and high specific compressive strength.
- Its ultralight nature and robust mechanical properties make it suitable for demanding applications.
- This material presents a promising solution for effective weight reduction in EMI shielding applications.
