Twin-coated skeleton PEDOT: PSS/MXene/para-aramid nanofibers hybrid aerogel with efficient EMI shielding performance and tunable power coefficient

Abstract

The extensive use of wireless communication devices has resulted in severe electromagnetic interference (EMI), which has driven the need for advanced EMI shielding materials. In this study, a twin-coated skeleton hybrid aerogel was constructed from para-aramid nanofibers (p-ANFs), MXene (Ti3C2Tx) flakes, and poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) polystyrene sulfonate (PEDOT:PSS) chains via a freeze-drying route. The robust chains of p-ANFs established a skeleton with a unique porous structure and reversible compressibility. The twin-coated cloth was composed of 28 wt% PEDOT:PSS and 20 wt% MXene, which endowed the PEDOT:PSS/MXene/p-ANFs hybrid aerogel with efficient EMI shielding properties. The shielding effectiveness (SE) and specific shielding effectiveness (SEE/t) in the X band (8.2–12.4 GHz) reached 41.27 dB and 3063.7 dB·cm2·g−1, respectively. Interestingly, the EMI shielding capacity was controlled by the PEDOT:PSS and MXene contents and the PEDOT:PSS/MXene ratio. Moreover, the twin-coated hybrid aerogel exhibited outstanding compressive resilience, with a maximum compressive stress of 61.72 kPa under strain of 60% after 500 cycles. In addition, the relationship between the structure deformation and power coefficient of aerogels was constructed. Thus, this study provides a feasible route for fabricating aerogels with compressibility and efficient EMI shielding performance.