Dual-Network Structure in Ionogel Fiber for Enhancing Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Mechanical...

Electromagnetic wave pollution has seriously affected human body health owing to rapid technological development, such as 5G/6G communication networks. The demand for wearable materials with high-performance electromagnetic protection and excellent mechanical properties is urgent, but still lacks reasonable preparing strategies to realize multifunctional features. Here, we develop a dual-network structural strategy to construct a high-performance ionogel fiber by using a scalable dry-spinning method. In this approach, semi-crystalline hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) combined with poly thioctic acid (PTA) serves as a structural backbone by hydrogen bonding network; simultaneously, MXene nanosheets and IL [EMI][ES] build an interconnected 3D conductive network, imparting functional properties to the backbone matrix. The ionogel fiber exhibits excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (60.6 dB), high strength (9.5 MPa), superior elongation (>200%), good self-healing, and recyclability. Notably, we found that the electromagnetic shielding performance of the fabric woven from the ionogel fibers increases by up to 7.5% within a strain range of ≤10.0%. This enhancement can be due to a stretch-induced orientation of the MXene nanosheets, which optimizes the internal conductive network of the ionogel. This work offers a promising route toward next-generation, wearable electromagnetic protection materials adaptable to both static and dynamic environments.