Hollow-structured elastic aerogel fibers enabling simultaneous EMI shielding, infrared stealth, and thermal management

Abstract

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials that also possess thermal management capabilities are crucial for safeguarding sensitive information against interception or disruption in electronic countermeasure applications. Furthermore, these materials are adept at maintaining a stable internal temperature within their structural framework, even under the most severe cold conditions. In this work, we fabricated elastic hollow porous polyurethane (HPU) fibers incorporating silver-coated copper nanosheets (Cu@Ag NS) as fillers, which exhibit low mid-infrared emissivity and exceptional electrical conductivity. These fibers were subsequently woven into HPU textile using a shuttle weaving technique, resulting in the textile with superior EMI shielding and excellent thermal management properties. The results indicate that the HPU textile can attain an adjustable EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) ranging from 21.11 to 57.53 dB, depending on the angle between HPU textile and the electric field of the incident electromagnetic wave. The HPU textile exhibits a thermal conductivity of 0.06 Wm⁻¹K⁻¹, offering excellent thermal insulation. Moreover, it demonstrates an elongation of 490 %, underscoring its exceptional flexibility. These outstanding EMI shielding capabilities, combined with its adaptable thermal response and superior thermal management properties, make the HPU textile highly appropriate for use in wearable devices and architectural applications.