Lightweight and high-strength polyarylene ether nitrile-based composites for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract

Abstract The proliferation of electronic devices and the widespread adoption of microwave-based technologies have resulted in a notable rise in electromagnetic radiation pollution. In present work, a novel flexible lightweight polyarylene ether nitrile (PEN)-based composite for efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding was prepared by introducing dual-loss hybrid material (PKMWCNT@Fe3O4) into PEN via non-solvent induce phase separation method and assembling it layer-by-layer with carbon fiber (CF) fabric. The porous morphology of the PEN layer, the electrical conductivity of the CF fabric, and the dual-loss property of the filler enable the material to reflect and absorb electromagnetic waves multiple times, resulting in superior electromagnetic shielding performance. With the addition of PKMWCNT@Fe3O4 at a mass fraction of 50%, the EMI SE T and specific shielding effectiveness SSE/t can reach up to 47.08 dB and 617 dB cm2/g, respectively, indicating absorption dominated shielding mechanism. Furthermore, the material exhibits a lightweight nature with a density of 0.55 g/cm3, and excellent mechanical properties, including a tensile strength of 43.98 MPa and elongation at break of 43.32%. This work presents a new approach to prepare high-performance composites that are both lightweight and resistant to secondary contamination by electromagnetic waves.