Strong and conductive reduced graphene oxide-MXene porous films for efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Lightweight, flexible, and electrically conductive porous films are promising for efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. However, the mechanical and electrical properties of porous films are far from optimum. Herein, we fabricate mechanically flexible and electrically conductive reduced graphene oxide (rGO)-Ti3C2Tx MXene (rG-M) porous films with optimized continuous cellular morphology by a controlled hydrazine foaming process. The presence of MXene prevents excessive expansion of the rG-M film, improves the electron conduction paths, and enhances the mechanical properties. The resultant rG-M porous film has superior mechanical and electric performances compared to its rGO counterpart, giving one of the highest tensile strengths (24.5 MPa) among the porous films, a high electrical conductivity of 74.4 S·cm−1, and an excellent broadband EMI shielding from 8 to 26.5 GHz. A high EMI shielding effectiveness of 52.6 dB is achieved for the porous film by adjusting its thickness and treatment procedure, providing a feasible fabrication route for lightweight and high-performance EMI shielding materials.