Architecting fire safe hierarchical polymer nanocomposite films with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Integrating flame retardancy and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in polymers is challenging due to filler dispersion issues.
• Achieving good interfacial adhesion between conductive fillers and polymer matrices is crucial for effective composite performance.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop novel polymer nanocomposites with simultaneously enhanced flame retardancy and EMI shielding properties.
• To overcome the challenge of filler dispersion by creating hierarchical structures with improved interfacial adhesion.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) nanocomposites using salicylaldehyde-modified chitosan decorated titanium carbide nanohybrid (Ti3C2Tx-SCS) and piperazine-modified ammonium polyphosphate (PA-APP).
• Construction of hierarchical nanocomposite films via an air-assisted hot pressing technique, incorporating reduced graphene oxide (rGO) films.
• Evaluation of flame retardancy through measurements of heat release, smoke release, and carbon monoxide yield.

Main Results:

• TPU nanocomposites with 4.0 wt% Ti3C2Tx-SCS showed significant reductions: 58.0% in total heat release, 58.4% in total smoke release, and 75.8% in total carbon monoxide yield compared to pristine TPU.
• A hierarchical TPU nanocomposite film with 1.0 wt% Ti3C2Tx-SCS achieved an average EMI shielding effectiveness of 21.3 dB in the X-band.

Conclusions:

• The developed strategy successfully integrates high flame retardancy and excellent EMI shielding into polymer nanocomposites.
• The hierarchical structure and modified fillers promote better dispersion and adhesion, leading to superior material performance.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for creating fire-safe and EMI-shielding polymer materials.