Polypyrrole-coated Nonwovens for Electromagnetic Shielding

Several shielding applications, to protect human health and electronic devices against dangerous effects of electromagnetic radiation, require solutions that fabrics can suitably fulfill. Here, we will discuss the electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of polypyrrole-coated polyester nonwoven textiles, in the frequency range 100-800 MHz. Insertion losses for samples with different surface resistivity ranging from 40 Omega/sq till the very low value of 3 Omega/sq were measured with a dual-transverse electromagnetic cell. We found a correlation between the shielding effectiveness and the surface conductivity of composites. For the sample with the lowest surface resistivity, we obtained an electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of 37 dB.