Integrated manufacturing of REciclable multi-material COmposites for the TRANSport sector
Lightweight, Flexible Electromagnetic Shielding Composite Films Reinforced with Recycled Carbon Fibers and Carbon Nanofillers
This work investigates ultra?high molecular weight polyethylene composite films reinforced with recycled carbon fibers and carbon?based nanofillers including graphene nanoplatelets and carbon nanotubes for electromagnetic interference shielding applications. Synergistic interactions between fibers and nanofillers significantly reduce the required content of fibers and improve conductivity and shielding effectiveness, offering a lightweight, high?performance, and sustainable material for next?generation EMI protection applications.Lightweight, flexible polymer composites are widely adopted in modern electronic devices and systems for high?efficiency electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. Reinforcing polymer composites with conductive fillers offers a promising alternative to conventional metal?based shielding material thanks to their low density, tunable properties, and flexibility. Herein, lightweight, flexible ultra?high molecular weight polyethylene composite films reinforced with recycled carbon fibers (rCFs) and carbon?based nanofillers, including graphene nanoplatelets (GNPs) and carbon nanotubes, are reported for EMI shielding applications. The incorporation of these nanofillers significantly reduces the required content of rCFs and improves processability while maintaining comparable shielding effectiveness. The addition of these nanofillers with rCFs enhances the EMI shielding effectiveness by up to 15?dB. Incorporating 1?wt% GNPs can replace 5?wt% rCFs and achieve comparable EMI shielding performance, while 5?wt% of either nanofillers can substitute for 10?wt% rCFs. Numerical modeling of electromagnetic wave transmission reveals that increasing nanofiller concentrations enhances both reflection and absorption losses, with absorption consistently dominating across all levels. This study not only provides insight into the synergistic contributions of rCFs and carbon nanofillers to shielding effectiveness but also paves the way for the design of sustainable, lightweight EMI shielding composite films for applications in electric vehicles, medical equipment, and portable electronics.
» Author: ZhiJing Xue, Ryan Cordier, Eli Knight, Kenneth R. Brown, Xiaodong Li
» Publication Date: 29/09/2025
This project has received funding from the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme under grant agreement Nº 768737
