Highly Stretchable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials Made with Conductive Microcoils Confined to a...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Electrical Engineering

Background:

• Conventional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials lack flexibility and stable performance for modern electronics.
• Flexible electronics require advanced materials capable of deformation without compromising shielding effectiveness.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel, stretchable EMI shielding materials with stable performance under mechanical strain.
• To investigate the structure-property relationships of these new materials for flexible electronic applications.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of stretchable conductive microcoils using Spirulina biotemplates.
• Creation of honeycomb networks by confining microcoils in a mold and sintering.
• Integration into silicone rubber to produce deformable EMI shielding materials.
• Analysis of material morphology, conductivity, mechanical, and electromagnetic properties under stretching.

Main Results:

• Honeycomb-structured EMI shielding materials exhibited stable electrical conductivity and EMI shielding up to 50% stretching.
• A 0.4 mm thick sample showed enhanced EMI shielding effectiveness from 23.3-26.2 dB to 34.3-35.7 dB in the X-band when stretched to 50%.
• Performance exceeded most previously reported stretchable EMI shielding materials.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategy of simultaneously deforming conductive filler particles and the body structure offers a new pathway for deformable EMI shielding materials.
• These materials are promising for applications in flexible EM protection skins, wearable devices, and flexible displays.