Nacre-like Anisotropic Multifunctional Aramid Nanofiber Composites for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding, Thermal Management, and Strain Sensing

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Composite Materials

Background:

• Developing multifunctional flexible composites is crucial for advanced electronic devices.
• Existing materials often struggle to balance electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, thermal management, and sensing capabilities.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create novel nacre-like aramid nanofibers (ANFs)-based composite films.
• To achieve high-performance EMI shielding, thermal management, and sensing in a single flexible material.

Main Methods:

• Vacuum-assisted filtration and hot-pressing techniques were employed.
• Preparation of composite films with an anisotropic layered microstructure using ANFs, MXene, and silver nanowires (AgNWs).

Main Results:

• Achieved high electrical conductivity (71.53 S/cm) and thermal conductivity (6.4 W/m·K) at a specific ANF to MXene/AgNWs ratio (10:8).
• Demonstrated superior EMI shielding and remarkable Joule heating performance (78.3 °C at 2.5 V).
• Exhibited excellent mechanical properties, flame resistance, and potential as strain sensors for human motion monitoring.

Conclusions:

• The developed ANF-based composite films offer a promising solution for multifunctional applications in smart electronics.
• The anisotropic layered structure facilitates efficient electron and phonon transport, enhancing performance.
• These materials show significant potential for wearable electronics, including EMI shielding, thermal management, and sensing.