High Electrical Conductivity Induced by Surface Confinement Effect in Heterostructured Multifunctional Nanofiber...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Electromagnetics

Background:

• Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding films are crucial for blocking electromagnetic radiation.
• Poly(vinyl alcohol-co-ethylene) (PVA-co-PE) nanofibers offer a high surface area for developing multifunctional EMI shielding materials.
• Large-scale industrial application of multifunctional EMI shielding materials is limited.

Purpose of the Study:

• To prepare heterostructured PVA-co-PE/AgNW/MXene composite films for efficient EMI shielding with low-reflection characteristics.
• To investigate the synergistic effect of silver nanowires (AgNW) and MXene for enhanced electromagnetic energy loss.
• To develop a scalable and straightforward method for producing these composite films.

Main Methods:

• A two-step spray coating and solvent evaporation method was employed.
• Heterostructured composite films were fabricated using PVA-co-PE nanofibers, AgNW, and MXene.
• The surface confinement effect was utilized to enhance the density of AgNW/MXene on the film surface.

Main Results:

• The composite films achieved an EMI shielding efficiency (EMI SE) of 60.2 dB in the 8-20 GHz frequency range.
• A low reflection coefficient (R = 0.13) was observed.
• High normalized SE (5452.9 dB·cm⁻¹) and absolute SE (36352.7 dB·cm²·g⁻¹) were recorded at 5.4 wt.% AgNW/MXene content.

Conclusions:

• The developed PVA-co-PE/AgNW/MXene composite films exhibit excellent EMI shielding performance and low reflection.
• The straightforward preparation process is suitable for industrial-scale production.
• These films show significant potential for applications in aerospace and flexible wearables.