High-performance and flexible Mo2C/Gd2O3-based polymer composite films for EMI absorption in the X-band region

To mitigate secondary electromagnetic pollution, there has been increasing interest in absorption-dominant electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorbing materials. This study presents the preparation of Gadolinium oxide (Gd₂O₃) and molybdenum carbide (Mo₂C) polymer composite films using the solution casting technique, aimed at high-performance EMI shielding applications. The focus is on the innovative and cost-effective development of a composite film incorporating PVDF nanocomposite designed to reduce EMI. The resulting nanocomposite demonstrated an impressive shielding effectiveness of 51 dB in experimental configurations, utilizing equal amounts of gadolinium oxide and molybdenum carbide at a film thickness of 0.21 mm. Efficiency measurements validate the loss of incoming electromagnetic energy, which is supported through the absorption-dominated EMI shielding mechanism, which is described by strong interfacial polarization. The tensile strength, stress, and strain of the composites were evaluated using various characterization methods, showcasing their superior mechanical properties. The CST simulation process was employed to validate the theoretical values.