Electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness and microwave absorption properties of thermoplastic polyurethane/montmorillonite‐polypyrrole nanocomposites

In this work, thermoplastic polyurethane‐filled montmorillonite‐polypyrrole (TPU/Mt‐PPy) was prepared through melt mixing process for using in electromagnetic shielding applications. The effect of conducting filler content and type, sample thickness, and X‐band frequency range on the electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness (EMI SE) and EMI attenuation mechanism was investigated. A comparative study of electrical and microwave absorption properties of TPU/Mt‐PPy nanocomposites and TPU/PPy blends was also reported. The total EMI SE average and electrical conductivity of all Mt‐PPy.Cl or Mt‐PPy.DBSA nanocomposites are higher than those found for TPU/PPy.Cl and TPU/PPy.DBSA blends. This behavior was attributed to the higher aspect ratio and better dispersion of the nanostructured Mt‐PPy when compared with neat PPy. Moreover, the presence of Mt‐PPy into TPU matrix increases absorption loss (SE_A) mechanism, contributing to increase EMI SE. The total EMI SE values of nanocomposites containing 30 wt% of Mt‐PPy.DBSA with 2 and 5 mm thickness were approximately 16.6 and approximately 36.5 dB, respectively, corresponding to the total EMI of 98% (75% by absorption) and 99.9% (88% by absorption). These results highlight that the nanocomposites studied are promising materials for electromagnetic shielding applications.     

Advancement in cellulose-based multifunctional high conductive PNIPAAm/PPy hydrogel/cotton composites for EMI shielding

Exploitation of cotton fabric as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding substrates have attracted a growing interest due to their desirable low carbon footprint, economic feasibility, and sustainability. Herein, a facile strategy was proposed for preparing a cellulose-based multifunctional PNIPAAm/PPy hydrogel/cotton (PPHC) EMI shielding composites with simultaneous high-efficient electro-photo-thermal conversion and comfort regulation functions. The PPHC was fabricated via in situ polymerization conductive PPy hydrogel on cotton substrate followed by deposition of PNIPAAm. Benefiting from the unique interconnected three-dimensional networked conductive structure of PPy hydrogel, the obtained PPHC composites exhibited high conductivity (15 mS/cm), and EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE?~?40 dB) in the frequency of 8.2–12.3 GHz. Moreover, the PNIPAAm coating endowed the composite fabrics with adjustable wettability performance in response to external temperature, leading to excellent comfort regulation performance. This work provided feasible avenue toward low cost and sustainability cotton-based EMI shielding composites with efficient EMI shielding and comfort regulation performance.

Graphical abstract

     

聚吡咯/Gd-掺杂铜锌铁氧体复合物的制备及电/磁性能

用溶胶-凝胶法和溶液原位聚合法分别制备了Gd-掺杂纳米级Zn_0.6Cu_0.4Fe_2－xGd_xO₄ (x＝0～0.10)铁氧体粉末和聚吡咯/Zn_0.6Cu_0.4Fe_1.96Gd_0.04O₄纳米复合物. 用现代分析技术表征了样品的结构、形貌和电磁性能. 结果表明Gd-掺杂铁氧体的饱和磁化强度随Gd含量的增加而增大; 复合物的电导率和饱和磁化强度与聚吡咯的含量有关, 当聚吡咯的含量从w＝50%增加到w＝80%, 复合物的电导率从0.0139增加到0.0423 S/cm, 而饱和磁化强度则从18.37减小到14.35 emu/g. 在8～18 GHz频段内, 吸收层厚度为2 mm时, PPy在16 GHz附近的反射损耗峰值为－19.68 dB, 有效带宽为6.2 GHz; 而ZCGFO的反射损耗峰值和有效带宽分别为－16.6 dB和5.16 GHz. 和PPy和ZCGFO相比, PPy/ZCGFO复合物有更低的反射损耗和更大的有效带宽, ZCGFO相对含量为20%的PPy/ZCGFO复合物的反射峰值和有效带宽分别达到－20.90 dB和14.05 GHz. 这些结果说明PPy/ZCCFO复合物适合作为电磁波吸收与屏蔽的候选材料.     

Silver (I) antimicrobial cotton nonwovens and printcloth

In this paper we discuss the preparation and comparative evaluation of silver (I) [Ag(I)] nonwoven and woven antimicrobial barrier fabrics generated from commercial calcium‐sodium alginates and laboratory prepared sodium carboxymethyl (CM) cotton nonwovens and CM‐cotton printcloth for potential use as wound dressings. Degrees of CM substitution (DS) in cotton nonwoven and printcloth samples by titrimetry were 0.38 and 0.10, respectively. Coordination of Ag(I) with carboxylates on fabrics was effected by ion exchange and nitrates were removed by washing to mitigate nitrate ion toxicity issues. Durability of silver coordinated fabrics was tested by soaking them in deionized water with slight agitation at 50°C. Ag(I) alginates and nonwoven Ag(I)‐CM‐cottons lost structural integrity in water. Ag‐CM‐cotton printcloth samples retained structural integrity even after four soak‐and‐dry cycles, were smooth to the touch when dry, and were smoother when moistened. They could be easily peeled from wound surfaces without inducing trauma. Solid‐state carbon‐13 (¹³C) nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) spectrometry was used to observe changes in carbonyl resonances in Ag(I) alginates and Ag(I)‐CM‐printcloth, and the chemical shift positions of carbonyl resonances of uncoordinated and Ag(I) coordinated fabrics did not change. Inductively coupled plasma‐mass spectrometry (ICP‐MS) was used following fabric digestion to determine the total Ag(I) ion content in fabrics. Ag(I) alginates were found to hold about 10–50 mg Ag(I) per gram fabric; and Ag(I) cotton woven and nonwoven fabrics held about 5–10 mg Ag(I) ions per gram fabric. Kinetic release of Ag(I) after soaking once in physiological saline was studied with ICP‐MS to estimate the availability of Ag(I) upon a single exchange with Na(I) ions on wound surfaces. Alginates released between ～13 and 28% of coordinated Ag(I), and CM‐cotton nonwovens and CM‐cotton printcloth released ～14 and 3% of coordinated Ag(I) ions, respectively. Finally, Ag(I) alginates and Ag(I)‐CM‐cotton printcloth samples were evaluated against Gram‐positive Staphylococcus aureus and Gram‐negative Klebsiella pneumoniae. Ag(I) alginates suppressed 99.95% of bacterial growth in vitro. Even after four soak‐and‐dry cycles in deionized water Ag(I)‐CM‐cotton printcloth suppressed 99.99% of bacterial growth in vitro. Published in 2007 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Polymerization and characterization of high conductivity and good adhension polypyrrole films for electromagnetic interference shielding

<正>Polypyrrole(PPy) shows a favorable application in the electromagnetic interference(EMI) shielding due to its good electrical conductivity and outstanding air stability.Conducting PPy films with high conductivity and good adhesion were successfully polymerized on the surface of insulating epoxy resin substrates using chemical polymerization.The factors affecting the properties of PPy films,such as the surface morphology,adhesion between PPy film and substrate,electrical conductivity,EMI shielding effectiveness(SE),were investigated.The adhesion was improved significantly through a three-step surface pretreatment of epoxy resin substrates including removing impurities,roughening,and surface modification with silane coupling agent.An enhancement in the conductivity of PPy films of about one order of magnitude was achieved by adding dopant in FeCl_3 solution.The higher the conductivity,the better the shielding effectiveness.Taking sodium p-toluenesulfonate doped PPy film as example,EMI SE was in the practically useful range of about 30 dB over a wide frequency range from 30 MHz to 1500 MHz.The PPy film samples were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM),infrared spectra(IR),X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy(XPS) and the flange coaxial transmission device.The fourpoint probe method was used to measure conductivity of PPy films.     

Electromagnetic interference shielding Ti_3C_2T_x-bonded carbon black films with enhanced absorption performance

The demand for flexible and freestanding electromagnetic interference(EMI) shielding materials are more and more urgent to combat with serious electromagnetic(EM) radiation pollution.Twodimensional Ti_3C_2T_x is considered as promising EMI shielding material to graphenes because of the low cost and high electrical conductivity.However,the shielding performance still needs to be optimized to decrease the reflection effectiveness(SE_R) and increase absorption effectiveness(SEA).Herein,we prepared Ti_3C_2T_x-bonded carbon black films with a porous structure.The SE_R decreased from 20 dB to12 dB and the SEA increased from 31 dB to 47 dB.The best EMI shielding effectiveness can be as high as60 dB with SE_A of 15 dB and SE_R of45 dB.Their calculated specific shielding effectiveness can be as high as8718 dB cm~2/g.These results indicate that the porous structure can enhance the absorption of the EMI shielding films,resulting from the enhanced scattering and reflectio n.Conseque ntly,this work provides a promising MXene-based EMI shielding film with lightweight and flexibility.     

Synergistic effect of double percolated co‐supportive MWCNT‐CB conductive network for high‐performance EMI shielding application

The recent development in telecommunication technology has led electromagnetic interference (EMI) to a serious threat to both electronic devices and living beings. In this work, we designed a highly efficient EMI shielding material by taking advantage of both carbonaceous hybrid filler and double percolation phenomenon. Here, a flexible, lightweight microwave absorbing conductive polymer composite was fabricated by employing poly (ethylene‐co‐methyl acrylate) and ethylene octene copolymer (EMA/EOC) binary blend as the matrix and multiwall carbon nanotube carbon black (MWCNT/CB) hybrid filler as the conductive moiety. We investigated the effect of MWCNT content in the hybrid composite on mechanical, thermomechanical, electrical, and shielding efficiency. A total EMI shielding efficiency of ?37.4 dB in the X band region was attained with 20 wt% hybrid filler containing 50 wt% MWCNT along with promising mechanical properties.     

Antistatic applications of conducting polyaniline

A method is described to impart flexibility and mechanical strength to conducting polyaniline by polymerizing aniline on fabrics and on cellulose papers. The study indicates that these conducting fabrics offer 16–18 dB of shielding effectiveness for the control of electromagnetic interference (EMI) up to a frequency of 10³ MHz.     

Effects of diameter and surface area of electrospun nanocomposite fibers on electromagnetic interference shielding

The effects of variation in average diameter and surface area of nanocomposite fibers on electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding of multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs)/polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP) fibers were investigated in this paper. The EMI shielding effectiveness of electrospun nanocomposite fibers were measured in the X-band frequency range 8.2–12.4 GHz. The electrical conductivity and EMI shielding behaviors of the nanocomposite fibers were reported as function of average diameter and surface area of MWCNTs/PVP nanocomposite fibers. The electrical conductivity measurements demonstrate using thinner nanocomposite fibers results in a lower limit of electrical resistivity, better electrical conductivity performance. The EMI shielding efficiency of thinner nanocomposite fibers increased up to 42 dB. The EMI shielding data for MWCNTs/PVP nanocomposite fibers with various average diameter and surface area showed that absorption was the major shielding mechanism and reflection was the secondary shielding mechanism. It can be related to higher specific surface area of thinner electrospun MWCNTs/PVP nanocomposite fibers that means more surface area for radiative scatter and absorption leading to higher EMI shielding performance.     

EMI shielding and microwave absorption behavior of Au‐MWCNT/polyaniline nanocomposites

Electrically conducting Au‐multiwalled carbon nanotube/polyaniline (Au‐MWCNT/PANi) nanocomposites were synthesized by two different ways: (1) by direct mixing of MWCNT/PANi and Au nanoparticles (Au‐MWCNT/PANi‐1) and (2) by in situ polymerization of aniline in the presence of both MWCNTs and Au nanoparticles (Au‐MWCNT/PANi‐2). The higher electrical conductivity of Au‐MWCNT/PANi‐2 compared with the other samples (PANi, MWCNT/PANi, Au‐MWCNT/PANi‐1) is supported by the red shifts of the UV‐vis bands (polaron/bipolaron), the high value of the –NH+= stretch peak (Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy studies), the high % crystallinity (X‐ray diffraction analysis) and more uniform dispersion of the Au NPs in the material. The performance of the samples in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and microwave absorption was studied in the X‐band (8–12 GHz). For all the samples, absorption was the dominant factor contributing toward the EMI shielding. Au‐MWCNT/PANi‐2 showed the best performance with a total shielding effectiveness of ?16 dB [averaged over the X‐band (GHz)] and a minimum reflection loss of ?56.5 dB. The higher dielectric properties resulting from the heterogeneities because of the presence of nanofillers and the high electrical conductivity lead to the increased EMI shielding and microwave absorption. The results show the significance of both Au nanoparticles and method of synthesis on the EMI shielding performance of MWCNT/PANi composites. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improved microwave absorption and electrostatic charge dissipation efficiencies of conducting polymer grafted fabrics prepared via in situ polymerization

Polyaniline (PANI) and polypyrrole (PPY) were grafted over cotton fabrics by in situ polymerization. FTIR spectra show systematic shifting of bands corroborating surface grafting of conducting polymers on cotton fabric. SEM images revealed that the surface coating of PANI was smoother than PPY. However, better control over coating thickness and uniformity was achieved in PPY fabric. The probable formation mechanism of grated fabrics has also been proposed. The good thermal stability and acceptable electronic conductivity values indicate that these fabrics could be used for electrostatic charge dissipation and microwave absorption. The antistatic studies have shown complete charge dissipation (decay time <0.01 sec). The microwave absorption studies of the conducting fabrics in X‐band (8.2–12.4 GHz) show absorption dominated total shielding effectiveness in the range ?11.3 to ?11.7 dB (>92% attenuation) and ?9.2 to ?9.6 dB (>88% attenuation) for fabrics grafted with PPY and PANI, respectively. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ku-band EMI shielding effectiveness and dielectric properties of Polyaniline-Y2O3 composites

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding has become a phenomenon of great concern and there is growing demand towards the synthesis of materials with better EMI shielding effectiveness (EMI SE). This work highlights the preparation of Polyaniline-Yttrium Oxide (PANI-Y₂O₃) composites for EMI shielding applications in the frequency range from 12.4 to 18 GHz (Ku-band). The structure and morphology of the composites were investigated by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), X-ray diffraction (XRD), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). EMI SE, microwave absorption and reflection, dielectric properties of the composites are discussed in detail. All the computations were based on microwave scattering parameters measured by transmission line waveguide technique. The observed results show absorption dominant EMI shielding in these composites with EMI SE of ?19 to ?20 dB, which mainly depends on the dielectric loss of the composites. Through the results of our observations, we propose these composites to be potential materials for microwave absorption and EMI shielding applications.     

EMI shielding and dynamic mechanical analysis of graphene oxide-carbon nanotube-acrylonitrile butadiene styrene hybrid composites

Carbon nanomaterials such as carbon nanotubes (CNTs), graphene and their hybrid have been studied extensively. Despite having excellent properties of CNTs and graphene have not yet been fully realized in the polymer composites. During fabrication agglomeration of CNTs and restacking of graphene is a serious concern that results in the degradation of properties of nanomaterials into the final composites. To improve the dispersion of CNTs and restacking graphene, in the present research work, we focused on the hybridization of graphene oxide and CNTs. Multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), functionalized carbon nanotubes (FCNTs), and graphene oxide-carbon nanotubes (GCNTs) reinforced acrylonitrile butadiene styrene (ABS) composites were prepared separately by vacuum filtration followed by hot compression molding. Further, dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA), and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding properties of ABS composites reinforced carbon nanofillers were investigated. The dynamic mechanical properties of polymers strongly depend on the adhesion of fillers and polymer, entanglement density of polymer chains in the presence of carbon fillers. The dynamic mechanical characteristics such as storage, loss modulus, and damping factor of prepared composites were significantly affected by the incorporation of MWCNTs, FCNTs, and GCNTs. Maximum EMI shielding effectiveness of −49.6 dB was achieved for GCNT-ABS composites which were highest compared to MWCNTs-ABS composites (−38.6 dB) and FCNTs-ABS composites (−36.7 dB) in the Ku band (12.4–18 GHz). These results depict the great potential of GCNTs-ABS composites to be used in various applications of efficient heat dissipative EMI shielding materials for electronic devices.     

Silver‐Palladium Nanoalloys Modified Carbon Ionic Liquid Electrode with Enhanced Electrocatalytic Activity Towards Formaldehyde Oxidation

Electrocatalysis of the oxidation of formaldehyde on silver‐palladium‐modified carbon ionic liquid electrode (AgPd/CILE) was investigated in 0.1 M NaOH. The electrochemical performance of the AgPd/CILE was compared with those of Pd/CILE and Ag/CILE. Ag plays an important role in the catalytic performance of AgPd nanocatalyst and yields an excellent antifouling effect. Amperometric measurements showed that AgPd/CILE is a promising sensor for the detection of formaldehyde in the range of 10.0 µM–70.0 mM with a sensitivity of 240.6 µA mM^?1 cm^?2 and a detection limit of 2 µM. The method is free from interference of methanol, ethanol and formic acid.     

Bactericidal activity and UV-filtering property of TiO<Subscript>2</Subscript>-based photocatalysts coated on curtain fabrics

Synthesized and commercial titanium dioxide (TiO₂) were coated onto household curtain fabrics for anti-microbial and ultraviolet (UV) shielding functions. The coating was performed by inducing a deposition of the TiO₂ layer from the Ti precursor onto the fabric surface. A silane adhesive agent was employed to improve the adhesion between the coating and the fabric. Ag nanoparticles were also incorporated into some samples to further improve the anti-bacterial activity, which was evaluated by a standard qualitative test (AATCC 147). Efficiency for UV shielding was evaluated by measuring a UV–visible reflection of the coated fabrics both before and after subjecting it to several washing cycles. The results showed that the TiO₂-coated fabrics had potential as both anti-bacterial and UV shielding for the curtain industry.     

石墨烯负载的空心银钯纳米粒子的制备及其在过氧化氢检测中的应用

制备了在石墨烯上修饰的AgPd合金纳米粒子,并将其应用于对过氧化氢(H2O2)的电化学检测。通过两步合成得到此纳米复合物:利用柠檬酸钠作为保护剂和还原剂,合成石墨烯负载的Ag纳米粒子(Ag/GO);在100℃下,通过Ag与Pd2+之间的置换反应得到石墨烯负载的具有空心结构的AgPd合金纳米粒子(AgPd/GO)。用紫外-可见光谱(UV-vis),电子显微镜(TEM)等对此纳米复合物的结构及其吸收光谱和形貌进行了表征。电化学循环伏安法(CV)和计时安培法(i-t)的研究结果表明,修饰在石墨烯上的空心AgPd合金纳米粒子对H2O2还原具有显著的催化活性,对H2O2检测的线性范围为0.01～1.4 mmol/L(R=0.990);检出限为1.4μmol/L。     

Effects of sodium laurylsulfate on crystal structure of calcite formed from mixed solutions

This paper presents a solvent-based, mild method to prepare superhydrophobic, carbon nanofiber/PTFE-filled polymer composite coatings with high electrical conductivity and reports the first data on the effectiveness of such coatings as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. The coatings are fabricated by spraying dispersions of carbon nanofibers and sub-micron PTFE particles in a polymer blend solution of poly(vinyledene fluoride) and poly(methyl methacrylate) on cellulosic substrates. Upon drying, coatings display static water contact angles as high as 158° (superhydrophobic) and droplet roll-off angles of 10° indicating self-cleaning ability along with high electrical conductivities (up to 309 S/m). 100 μm-thick coatings are characterized in terms of their EMI shielding effectiveness in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz). Results show up to 25 dB of shielding effectiveness, which changed little with frequency at a fixed composition, thus indicating the potential of these coatings for EMI shielding applications and other technologies requiring both extreme liquid repellency and high electrical conductivity.     

In vitro biocompatibility of three‐dimensional chitosan scaffolds immobilized with chondroitin‐6‐sulfate

Cellular‐compatible scaffolds were prepared using a three‐dimensional micro‐porous chitosan (CS) non‐woven fabric immobilized by glutaraldehyde (GA), followed by the immobilization of chondroitin‐6‐sulfate (ChS). To characterize the immobilizing process, tensile analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) were performed. The cell seeding efficiency and proliferation test were evaluated using L929 fibroblasts. The chitosan scaffolds showed high water vapor transmission rate and antibacterial activity. In addition, ChS‐immobilized scaffolds exhibited higher cell seeding efficiency and fibroblasts proliferation. These results demonstrated that the CS non‐woven fabrics grafted with GA and immobilized with ChS could be an appropriate candidate for wound healing and artificial scaffolds in the clinical applications. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Multifunctional waterproof MXene-coated wood with high electromagnetic shielding performance

Increasing electromagnetic pollution calls for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials, especially sustainable, lightweight, and environmentally stable, biomass-based materials. MXene-coated wood (M/wood) is prepared by simply spraying MXene sheets on the wood surface. Varying this spray coating manipulates the shielding performance and its application to different wood species. The M/wood exhibits high electrical conductivity (sheet resistance is only 0.65 Ω/sq) with an excellent EMI shielding effectiveness of 31.1 dB at 8.2?~?12.4 GHz and is also fire retardant. Furthermore, waterborne acrylic resin (WA) is coated on M/wood to enhance environmental stability. The WA coating improves EMI shielding performance stability after water-soaking and drying testing and prevents the peeling of MXene from wood. These satisfactory properties of WA-M/wood and the facile manufacturing approach promote the feasibility of wood-based EMI shielding materials.

Graphical abstract

     

Plasma-Electrospinning Hybrid Process and Plasma Pretreatment to Improve Adhesive Properties of Nanofibers on Fabric Surface

Electrospun nanofiber mats are inherently weak, and hence they are often deposited on mechanically-strong substrates such as porous woven fabrics that can provide good structural support without altering the nanofiber characteristics. One major challenge of this approach is to ensure good adhesion of nanofiber mats onto the substrates and to achieve satisfactory durability of nanofiber mats against flexion and abrasion during practical use. In this work, Nylon 6 nanofibers were deposited on plasma-pretreated woven fabric substrates through a new plasma-electrospinning hybrid process with the objective of improving adhesion between nanofibers and fabric substrates. The as-prepared Nylon 6 nanofiber-deposited woven fabrics were evaluated for adhesion strength and durability of nanofiber mats by carrying out peel strength and flex resistance tests. The test results showed significant improvement in the adhesion of nanofiber mats on woven fabric substrates. The nanofiber-deposited woven fabrics also exhibited good resistance to damage under repetitive flexion. X-Ray photoelectron spectroscopy and water contact angle analyses were conducted to study the plasma effect on the nanofibers and substrate fabric, and the results suggested that both the plasma pretreatment and plasma-electrospinning hybrid process introduced radicals, increased oxygen contents, and led to the formation of active chemical sites on the nanofiber and substrate surfaces. These active sites helped in creating crosslinking bonds between substrate fabric and electrospun nanofibers, which in turn increased the adhesion properties. The work demonstrates that the plasma-electrospinning hybrid process of nanofiber mats is a promising method to prepare durable functional materials.