Development of Flexible, Mechanically Robust Absorbed Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Textiles via Aqueous Polyurethane Modification with a CoFe2O4@rGO Nanometer Composite

Abstract

Responding to the growing need for flexible materials with superior electromagnetic shielding performance, this research focuses on synthesizing cobalt ferrite@reduced graphene oxide (CoFe₂O₄@rGO) nanopowder through a solvothermal synthesis technique. The synthesized nanophase material was then blended with water-based polyurethane to form an EMI slurry, which was subsequently deposited onto a blended fabric base via a simple dip-coating method. A critical factor driving the material’s performance lies in the synergistic electromagnetic interaction between rGO and CoFe₂O₄, which imparts favorable electromagnetic characteristics to the nanocomposite. This interaction enables an exceptional electromagnetic shielding performance. The resulting flexible fabric achieved an EMI shielding effectiveness of 27.6 dB while maintaining an ultraslim thickness of 0.66 mm. Concurrently, the notable flexibility of these blended fabric-based EMI composites, combined with the straightforward dip-coating method fabrication approach, substantially expands the practical application scope of such flexible electromagnetic absorption materials. To conclude, this cost-efficient, flexible, tough, and high-performing EMI shielding fabrics, developed through a simple and scalable synthesis approach, exhibits promising practical potential in civilian applications.