Lightweight, flexible MXene/polymer film with simultaneously excellent mechanical property and high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding

• Published in: Composites. Part A, Applied science and manufacturing Vol. 130; p. 105764
• Main Authors: Wan, Yan-Jun, Li, Xing-Miao, Zhu, Peng-Li, Sun, Rong, Wong, Ching-Ping, Liao, Wei-Hsin
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Elsevier Ltd 01.03.2020
• Subjects: EMI shielding; Mechanical properties; MXene; Polymer-composites; Mechanical properties; Polymer-composites; MXene; EMI shielding
• ISSN: 1359-835X; 1878-5840
• DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesa.2020.105764

In this paper, the dichotomy between mechanical strength and shielding performance of MXene film was eliminated, the mechanically strong and high-performance EMI shielding Ti3C2Tx composite film by incorporating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) and then treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid to remove the PSS were investigated. The significance of the present study is: (1) The EMI shielding effectiveness and mechanical properties can be easily controlled by modulating the loading of PEDOT:PSS and the EMI SE can be further improved by sulfuric acid post-treatment while without significantly compromising the mechanical properties; (2) it achieves a good balance between EMI shielding performance and mechanical property, which has not been achieved in reported literatures. [Display omitted] How to obtain high strength while remain the good shielding performance of MXene film is a big challenge, which limits its further application. Herein, we report on fabrication of mechanically strong and high-performance EMI shielding Ti3C2Tx composite film by incorporating of poly(3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene)/poly(styrenesulfonate) (PEDOT/PSS) and then treatment with concentrated sulfuric acid to remove the insulating PSS. By introducing of 30 wt% PEDOT:PSS into Ti3C2Tx film and with acid post-treatment, the EMI SE of composite film with thickness of ~6.6 μm is up to 40.5 dB while the tensile strength is 38.5 ± 2.9 MPa and the increment in tensile strength is as high as 155% when compared to that of Ti3C2Tx film. It achieves a good balance between shielding performance and mechanical property, which has not been achieved in reported literatures. The combination of mechanical and shielding performances portfolio outperforms the counterpart of other polymer composites filled with MXene.