MXene-decorated carbonized jute composite for high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding

Lightweight, good processability and efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have captured more interest with the recognition of electromagnetic pollution hazards. Biomass-based carbon has been considered as a promising EMI shielding due to its low cost, renewability and environmental friendliness. Here, we used jute felt as the precursor of biomass carbon to fabricate the MXene (Ti3C2Tx)/jute composite (MXene/CJ) via a simple carbonization process and dip-and-dry method. Higher carbonization temperature and more MXene loading are conducive to electrical conductivity and shielding effectiveness (SE). When the carbonization temperature was 900 °C and dip-and-dry times was 3, the average EMI SE of 59.08 dB was achieved in 8.2–12.4 GHz (X-band) with a reflection-dominated mechanism. Besides, the composite also exhibits the potential to be used as a strain sensor. Under small pressure, the composite possessed excellent sensitivity and response time. The wrist bending, swallowing and vocal cord vibration can be monitored in real-time. These results illustrate that the MXene/CJ composite has a broad prospect in the EMI shielding and wearable electronics fields. This work also provided a feasible approach for the high-value utilization of natural biomass resources.