Ultrathin MXene/Polymer Coatings with an Alternating Structure on Fabrics for Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Fire-Resistant Protective Performances

Wearable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding fabrics are highly desirable with the rapid development of electronic devices and wireless communications where electromagnetic pollution is a great concern for human health and the reliability of precision equipment. The balance between EMI shielding efficiency (SE) and the flexibility of fabric is still challenging because of the generally opposite requirements for coating thickness. In this work, MXene/insulative polymer coating with an alternating structure is fabricated via a stepwise assembly technique to judiciously combine excellent shielding elements, a reasonable structure, and high nanofiller content together in the coating. Owing to this novel strategy, the coating with nanoscale thickness (similar to 500 nm) has realized the commercial requirement for EMI SE and well retained the flexibility and air permeability of the fabric. Compared with the corresponding pure MXene coating, such multilayered coating demonstrates 138.95% enhancement of EMI SE due to the improved dielectrical properties and intensive multiple reflections of electromagnetic waves. Additionally, this hybrid coating also acts as an excellent fire-resistant barrier for the inner flammable fabric to protect human beings and electronic devices in case of accidental fire. This work provides new insights into the rational design of shields with nanometer thickness to realize high EMI shielding performance and good fire resistance for new-generation portable and wearable EMI shielding products.

Automated summary

In this study, a MXene/insulative polymer coating with an alternating structure was fabricated via a stepwise assembly technique, achieving an enhancement of EMI SE and retention of fabric flexibility and air permeability. This novel coating strategy effectively improves dielectrical properties and triggers multiple reflections of electromagnetic waves, leading to the enhancement of EMI SE.