Layer-by-layer self-assembled nanocoatings of Mxene and P, N-co-doped cellulose nanocrystals onto cotton fabrics for significantly reducing fire hazards and shielding electromagnetic interference

With the increasing of electromagnetic pollution, flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding textiles are of urgent demand in daily life, which have the high fire hazards. Herein, we have prepared tannic acidmodified MXene (TA-Mxene), synthesized P, N-co-doped cellulose nanocrystals (PA@PANI@CNC), and then designed an alternative deposition of TA-Mxene and PA@PANI@CNC to achieve the flame-retardant and EMI shielding nanocoatings onto cotton fabrics by the layer-by-layer self-assembled technology. In particular, the EMI shielding efficient (SE) of cotton fabric with 20 bilayers coatings (Cotton-20BL) reaches up to 21 dB over the Xband frequency range. In addition, the Cotton-20BL achieves a high limited oxygen index of 32. Most notably, the peak heat release rate and total smoke production are reduced by 63.0% and 98.3%, respectively. Therefore, this work provides a highly efficient approach for the EMI shielding textiles with high fire safety.

Automated summary

This research successfully developed nano-coatings on cotton fabrics with high fire safety and EMI shielding efficiency through self-assembled technology, significantly reducing the peak heat release rate and total smoke production.