Roll-to-roll compatible in situ self-assembly of silver nanostructures on hybrid knitted textile for EMI shielding

A roll-to-roll compatible reactive blade coating self-assembly method has been developed for synthesizing silver nanorods (AgNRs), silver nanocubes (AgNCs), and silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) directly on a hybrid knitted fabric made from copper filaments and cotton fibers. The three resulting conductive fabrics, functionalized with AgNRs, AgNCs, and AgNPs, respectively, were evaluated for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE) across the X-band frequency range (8.2-12.4 GHz). The EMI SE of the fabric increased with additional layers of nanosilver particles. The application of (3-aminopropyl)triethoxysilane (APTES) improved hydrophobicity and washing stability while reducing the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) and air permeability within acceptable levels. Under the present coating conditions, the AgNR-coated fabric exhibited the highest electrical conductivity and EMI SE, achieving a shielding level of 52.9 dB within the X-band frequency range. The results show that in situ silver nanostructure growth combined with post-treatment surface functionalization provides a practical route toward multifunctional EMI-shielding textiles with improved durability.