Abstract
With the escalating prevalence of electromagnetic radiation pollution, flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials hold immense potential for widespread application. Carbonized fabric possesses notable advantages such as flexibility, excellent electrical conductivity, and chemical stability. However, their traditional preparation process is characterized by high energy consumption, intricate atmospheric conditions, and prolonged duration. This study introduces a novel approach of incorporating intumescent flame retardant into cotton fabric, aiming to facilitate rapid carbonization in an air atmosphere. Remarkably, this innovative approach leads to a remarkable total EMI shielding effectiveness (SET) of 17.55 dB within just 5 min of carbonization at 900°C in an air atmosphere. Moreover, in order to enhance the shielding effect, we conducted in-situ growth of polypyrrole (PPy) on the prepared carbonized fabric. With a deposition time of 120 min, the sheet resistance remarkably decreased to only 11.85 Ω/sq, resulting in an impressive SET value of 28.22 dB that effectively shields up to 99.9% of electromagnetic waves (EMW). Moreover, the SET of IFR-C-PPy-60 min can be enhanced to 51.84 dB by stacking 4 layers, enabling the attenuation of 99.999% of EMW. The IFR-C-PPy also exhibits excellent fire safety. This study presents a novel approach for rapid and large-scale fabrication of highly efficient EMI shielding conductive carbonized cotton fabric, offering potential applications in flexible electronic devices.