Flexible, Ultralight, and Mechanically Robust Waterborne Polyurethane/Ti<sub>3</sub>C<sub>2</sub>T<i><sub>x</sub></i> MXene/Nickel Ferrite Hybrid Aerogels for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
Yu Wang, Qingbin Qi, Guang Yin, Wei Wang, Dan Yu
Abstract
Flexible, ultralight, and mechanically robust electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials are urgently demanded to manage the increasing electromagnetic radiation pollution, but it remains a great challenge to simultaneously achieve ultralight yet mechanically robust properties while retaining high-efficiency EMI shielding performance. Herein, we fabricate a novel waterborne polyurethane/Ti3C2Tx MXene/nickel ferrite (WPU/MXene/NiFe2O4) hybrid aerogel by constructing a strong chemical bonding interaction between an NCO-terminated WPU prepolymer and hydroxyl functionalized MXene nanosheets. The resultant aerogels exhibit remarkable lightweight and mechanical properties, particularly high compressive stress far exceeding that of other MXene-based and WPU-based porous materials. Furthermore, synergistic effects of the oriented porous architecture and the multiphase skeleton endow the hybrid aerogels with a high X-band EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 64.7 dB at a low density of ∼38.2 mg/cm3. The corresponding specific SE value achieves 1694–3124 dB·cm3/g, and the SSE/d is up to 15,620 dB·cm2/g, surpassing that of most reported EMI shielding materials. Importantly, this aerogel, with excellent electromagnetic radiation protection effects and shielding reliability, is highly promising for long-term and effective EMI shielding service in various application environments.