Superhydrophobic flexible conductive PFDT/CB/MXene@Paper for high-efficiency EMI shielding and Joule heating applications

Abstract

Flexible wearable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have attracted great attention with the development of portable electronic devices, and paper based EMI shielding materials turn to be ideal candidates due to their flexibility, biodegradability and low cost. In this study, conductive MXene nanosheet decorated paper was developed through a simple dip-coating technique, where the MXene nanosheets can be strongly adhered onto the surface of cellulose fiber to construct an effective conductive network. Meanwhile, a low surface energy and micro–nano-structured 1H,1H,2H,2H-perfluorodecanethiol (PFDT)/carbon black (CB) layer was further introduced onto the surface to construct a superhydrophobic surface, avoiding the hygroexpansion of paper in water or moisture environments effectively. As a result, the prepared PFDT/CB/MXene@Paper exhibits reflection dominant EMI shielding performance, and a specific SE value of up to 3339.6 dB cm⁻² g⁻¹ was achieved. Importantly, the EMI shielding performance can be well maintained towards cyclic bending and in various acid, alkali, salt, and UV environments, which enhance the applicability of paper based functional materials significantly. Finally, its high conductivity also endows it with good Joule heating performance, improving the wearing comfort when used as a wearable EMI shielding material. This study will undoubtedly provide a high-efficiency design strategy for fabricating high-performance paper based EMI shielding materials.