Flexible and Wearable Hierarchical MXene/BNC/AgNW Aerogels for Multifunctional Electromechanical and EMI Shielding Applications
Lei Luo, Jie Liu, Siqi Li, Md Zahid Hasan, Chengfei Yue, Daiqi Li, Sha Sha, Ruquan Zhang, Hu Tu, Jiadeng Zhu
Abstract
The intrinsic self-stacking tendency of MXene severely limits the accessible surface area and impedes the construction of efficient conductive networks, hindering its application in high-performance flexible electronics. To address this issue, we develop a hierarchical MXene/bacterial nanocellulose/silver nanowires (MXene/BNC/AgNWs, denoted as MBA) composite aerogel via liquid-nitrogen-assisted directional freezing. In this system, BNC serves as a robust structural scaffold, while AgNWs act as conductive bridges linking MXene layers, collectively suppressing restacking and facilitating continuous electron transport. The resulting ternary aerogel exhibits a compressive strength of up to 43.93 kPa and demonstrates multifunctional performance. It functions as a sensitive piezoresistive sensor with fast response/recovery times and distinct signal patterns under various human motions. Moreover, the aerogel achieves an electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness of 37 dB in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) and enables efficient Joule heating with excellent thermal responsiveness and cycling stability. This work offers a promising strategy for designing MXene-based aerogels for applications in flexible sensors, electromagnetic shielding, and integrated thermal management systems.