MXene-based metal oxide/metal composites for microwave absorption and shielding: recent advances and future perspectives
Zahra Nezafat, Ghazaleh Jafari, Shahrzad Javanshir, Reza Peymanfar
Abstract
To overcome the threats of microwave technologies, refine the electromagnetic waves (EMWs) pollution, and develop the stealth and cloaking applications, EMW absorbing/shielding materials have burgeoned. Among various materials applied as microwave absorbers, the MXenes, as a growing two-dimensional (2D) transition metal carbides/nitride family, have emerged as revolutionary materials for electromagnetic interference (EMI) management due to their exceptional conductivity, regulable surface chemistry, tunable morphology, and hierarchical structure, desirable for microwave absorption/shielding (MA/MS) applications. Along with all the advantages mentioned, MXene also suffers from disadvantages like oxidation susceptibility, significant electrical conductivity and impedance mismatch, limited absorption contribution, structural collapse under mechanical or hygrothermal stress leading to degradation of shielding effectiveness, and challenges in scalable fabrication of large-area, lightweight films, preventing it from being used alone as a MA/MS material. To enhance absorbing properties and to resolve the drawbacks of the MXene, diverse structures, including ceramics, polymers, metal NPs (MNPs), alloy structures, and metal oxide NPs (MONPs), are introduced. This review focuses on the MNPs, alloys, and MONPs, bringing permeability and promoting impedance matching and other shortcomings of the eventual product. The mentioned composites have many advantages for MA/MS applications, including broadening the specific surface area, tuning conductivity, layering and etching the structure, and boosting polarization, among others. The review illustrates the future horizons for tailoring MXenes as MA/MS game-changers, exploring the latest developments in MXene-based metal oxide/metal composites. The focus of this review is on the emerging frontier of design strategies, experimental breakthroughs, and EMW absorbing/shielding properties of MXene-based metal oxide/metal composites. The review highlights the broader coverage of composite systems, provides deeper mechanistic insights, and supplies a more integrated perspective on design strategies relating to the MONPs and MNPs/MXene composites—compared to prior reviews. By gathering the finest of both worlds from the blessed combination of MXene and metal structures, the fascinating MA/MS properties with unique capabilities are achievable, opening new vistas for future practical applications. MXene has emerged as an extremely fetching material for microwave absorption (MA) and microwave shielding (MS) applications. Recent developments in experimental scenarios of the MXene-based metal oxide/metal composites were presented. Microwave absorbing characteristics of MXene-based metal oxide/metal composites were dissected. The future prospects and opened avenues applicable in improving MA/MS properties of MXene-based composites were highlighted.