Flexible Ni-Fe-P/PPy@PI fiber paper-based composites with three-layer structure for 5 G electromagnetic shielding applications

In this paper, an ultra-thin and flexible paper-based composites with multi-layer structure characteristics are developed, which has low reflection and high absorption characteristics for electromagnetic interference (EMI). The composites use a high-temperature resistant polyimide (PI) fiber paper as a skeleton, followed by the successful growth of a layer of highly conductive polypyrrole (PPy) as a coating on the PI fiber by gas-phase polymerization. Then, a layer of Ni-Fe-P alloy was grown on the surface of the composite by a new, simple and economical palladium-free activated electroless plating process. With a thickness of only 0.19 mm, the effective shielding performance of the paper-based composites can reach over 85 dB. Bending experiments showed that the conductivity of Ni-Fe-P/PPy@PI fiber paper-based composites changed very little (retaining 92.0%) even after 200 deformation cycles. In addition, through mechanical and thermal stability testing, it is shown that the paper-based composites exhibit excellent mechanical properties and thermal stability, and can, therefore, be used in harsh environments. It is believed that such flexible paper-based EMI shielding composites have great potential in flexible intelligent equipment, communication equipment, aerospace, and other fields. (c) 2021 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A new ultra-thin and flexible paper-based composite with excellent EMI shielding performance and mechanical stability has been developed in this study. It shows great potential for applications in harsh environments such as flexible intelligent equipment, communication equipment, aerospace, and other fields.