Fiber Innovation

INNOVATIVE COATED TEXTILE MATERIALS FOR ELECTROMAGNETIC SHIELDING APPLICATIONS

The paper describes different textile coatings for electromagnetic shielding applications, focusing on their performance, comfort, lightness, washing and rubbing fastness, for leisure, fashion, sports apparel, and protective clothing.

Saal C
Freitag, 15.09.2023, 09:00 - 09:25 Uhr
Sprecher
Augusta Marinho, CITEVE, Vila Nova de Famalicão (POE)
Augusta Silva, CITEVE, Vila Nova de Famalicão (POE)

The increasing development in communication technologies and electronic equipment, such as communication towers, radars, cell phones, wireless equipment, internet, etc., has led to increased exposure to electromagnetic (EM) radiation, particularly in the radiofrequency (RF) range. This type of radiation can cause two major problems such as health hazards and negative impact in the operation of nearby equipment. EM shielding is a method used to create barriers between EM radiation and the subject to be protected. Metals, such as silver and copper, are the most common materials used for this application. However, metal-based shields have limitations, such as inflexibility, corrosion problems, or high density. As a result, researchers have begun to explore alternative materials such as carbon-based materials, metal oxides, or polymers, which have demonstrated to have favorable properties for EM shielding applications. In this research, commercial materials such as multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), titanium dioxide (TiO2), iron oxide (Fe2O3) and zinc oxide (ZnO) were combined with a conductive polymer to develop textile coating solutions with EM attenuation properties. The innovative formulations were then applied in the development of EM shielding textiles by knife coating technologies, resulting in smart functional textiles with homogeneous and smooth coatings. The most promising coating formulation in terms of shielding ability and application was the one containing TiO2 and Fe2O3. The resulting textile coated achieved an average SE of 33.7 ± 1.1 dB in the measured band frequency for a coating thickness of 89 μm.