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Combining Laser-Induced Graphene with Kirigami for Transparent Flexible Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Mirza Sahaluddin1, Mingxuan Li2, Mehdi Zarei1
1Department of Mechanical Engineering and Materials Science, University of Pittsburgh, 3700 O'Hara Street, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania 15261, United States.
ACS Applied Engineering Materials
|March 5, 2026
Summary
Researchers developed transparent, flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields using laser-induced graphene and kirigami. This novel method creates lightweight, highly conductive 3D graphene structures for advanced electronics.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Electrical Engineering
Background:
- Emerging flexible electronics require advanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding solutions.
- Existing EMI shields often lack transparency, flexibility, and are excessively heavy.
- There is a critical need for lightweight, transparent, and flexible EMI shielding materials.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a novel method for fabricating effective EMI shields that are transparent, lightweight, and flexible.
- To integrate laser-induced graphene (LIG) with kirigami for creating 3D porous graphene structures.
- To optimize the shielding effectiveness and transparency of the fabricated materials for flexible electronics.
Main Methods:
- Utilized a single laser system for both laser-induced graphene (LIG) fabrication and kirigami patterning on polymer films.
- Integrated LIG with kirigami to create spatially patterned, 3D porous graphene structures.
- Characterized the electrical conductivity, structural quality (G/D and 2D/G ratios), EMI shielding efficiency (SE), transparency, and specific shielding efficiency (SSE) of the fabricated films.
Main Results:
- Achieved highly conductive 3D graphene with resistance under 25 ohm/mm and good structural quality (G/D ratio: 1.66, 2D/G ratio: 0.46).
- Demonstrated high EMI shielding efficiency (SE) over 50 dB at a low density of 0.04 g/cm³.
- Attained a balance between SE and transparency, achieving 17 dB SE with over 80% transparency, surpassing previous 2D graphene values.
- Exhibited exceptional specific shielding efficiency (SSE) of 1362.2 dB cm³/g, addressing flexibility and weight challenges.
Conclusions:
- The combined LIG and kirigami approach offers a versatile, scalable direct-write method for fabricating advanced EMI shields.
- The resulting 3D porous graphene films meet the demanding requirements of transparency, flexibility, and lightweight properties for flexible electronics.
- This technology provides a significant advancement in EMI shielding solutions, outperforming existing materials in key performance metrics.
