Graphene nanoplatelets/carbon nanotubes/polyurethane composites as efficient shield against electromagnetic polluting radiations

Hybrid nanocomposites are in the forefront of nanomaterials research owing to their unique ability to enhance the material property due to the existing synergistic effect of the fillers. Here, we report a ternary hybrid nanocomposite comprising of thermoplastic polyurethane as matrix and graphene nanoplatelets-carbon nanotubes hybrid (GCNT) as filled inclusion. The solution blending approach was used to prepare a series of polyurethane nanocomposites with GCNT loading ranging from 0 to 10 wt%. Due to the synergistic interaction of the two kinds of nanofillers, an electrical conductivity of the order of similar to 10(-2) S/cm was achieved owing to the formation of a conducting network of CNTs bridging the gaps between graphene nanoplatelets throughout the electrically insulating polyurethane matrix. These hybrid nanocomposites exhibited excellent electromagnetic interference shielding up to 47 dB in the Ku-band of microwave frequency for 10 wt% loaded GCNT sample. In addition, the electromagnetic attributes, such as the real and imaginary permittivity, of the nanocomposites as a function of frequency, were also investigated. The present studies, therefore, provides a new avenue for the preparation of hybrid carbon nanomaterials with unique structure and outstanding EMI shielding properties which make these materials as capable aspirants against electromagnetic polluting radiations. (C) 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.