Flexible MXene/sodium alginate composite fabric with high structural stability and oxidation resistance for electromagnetic interference shielding

Wearable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding fabrics with excellent electromagnetic shielding performance, oxidation resistance, and structural stability are highly demanded for the rapid development of electronic devices and wireless communication. MXenes are metallic conductive materials with exceptional EMI shielding properties, but they are prone to oxidation in air and have poor structural stability and durability on fabric substrates. Herein, we present a one-step assembly method to fabricate fabrics coated with MXenes and polymeric sodium alginate (SA) composite (MXene-SA). SA protects MXenes from oxidation and forms a stable interlayer structure by bonding to MXenes. The MXene-SA coated fabrics are breathable and flexible, and have a low sheet resistance of 2.12 ± 0.08 Ω/sq and a high EMI shielding performance of 37.05 dB at X-band, which is comparable to the best 42.31 dB. Moreover, the MXene-SA coated fabrics exhibit high structural stability and oxidation resistance under various conditions of sonication disintegration, mechanical abuse, chemical corrosion, and humidity, compared to pure MXenes coated fabrics. We believe that the wearable and high-performance MXene-SA fabrics have great potential for the next generation of ultra-portable and wearable EMI shielding products.