Ultrathin, Stretchable, and 3D-Printable Complementary Nanotubes-Polymer Composites for Multimodal Radiation...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Radiation Shielding

Background:

• Advanced applications in aerospace, defense, and electronics require materials that can simultaneously shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI) and neutron radiation.
• Existing materials often lack multifunctionality, such as being lightweight, mechanically stretchable, and effective under extreme environmental conditions.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel material system capable of dual-mode attenuation (EMI and neutron radiation) with enhanced mechanical properties.
• To create a versatile and conformable shielding architecture for next-generation electronics operating in harsh environments.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of neat composites using complementary nanotubes: boron nitride nanotubes (BNNTs) and single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs).
• Extension of the composite into a 3D-printed architecture using a stretchable polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) matrix via direct ink writing.
• Characterization of mechanical resilience under cyclic strain and thermal extremes (-196°C to 250°C).

Main Results:

• Neat composites achieved EMI shielding effectiveness >50 dB and a neutron attenuation coefficient of 1.27 mm⁻¹ (∼72% attenuation at 1 mm thickness) at micrometer scales.
• 3D-printed polymer composites demonstrated EMI shielding up to 23 dB at sub-millimeter thicknesses.
• The material maintained mechanical resilience across a wide temperature range and under cyclic strain.

Conclusions:

• A lightweight, robust, and conformable shielding strategy has been presented for next-generation electronics.
• The developed material system offers simultaneous EMI and neutron shielding, suitable for demanding applications.
• Scalable fabrication of complex geometries with tunable properties is achievable using direct ink writing.