Flexible conductive nanocomposite PEDOT:PSS/Te nanorod films for superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding: A new exploration

How to gain excellent bendable, easily-processable, flexible and high conducting materials with maintaining their brilliant electromagnetic shielding functions has become a great challenge, which hinders its potential applications. In this regard, a polymeric nanocomposite based on telluride (Te) nanorods embedded into poly(3,4-ethylene-dioxythiophene):poly (styrenesulphonate) (Te/PEDOT:PSS) films have been applied for the electromagnetic interference (EMI) wave shielding for the first time. Te/PEDOT:PSS shields with high Te dispersion, excellent adhesion property, good distribution, high compatibility and high anisotropic conductivity (σ// = 87.87 ± 5 and σ⊥ = 36. 78 ± 3 S/cm at 20 wt.%) have a brilliant shielding effectiveness SET = 60.88 dB at 12 GHz for 20 wt.%. The dielectric constants of the shields show an exponential decay behavior with the giga-hertz frequency regime (1−12 GHz). The ε′ > 1 improves with increasing the Te content due to the growth in the interfacial polarization and the free charge carrier’s concentrations inside the shield. The main mechanism beyond shielding effectiveness is the absorption. The impact of 0.1 M of various functionalized (benzene BSA, p-toluene TSA and Chompor CSA) sulfonic acid on the σ//, σ⊥ and SET values has significantly studied by treating the (20 wt.% Te/PEDOT:PSS) shield with these acids. It has been found that the increase in the anisotropic σBSA > σTSA > σCSA is reflected by the increase in SET (BSA) > SET (TSA) > SET (CSA) due to the planar structure of BSA and TSA acids. This study offers an excellent bendable, easily-processable, flexible, conducting and brilliant absorber of EM wave based on Te/PEDOT:SS nanocomposite that can be ranked as one of the highest shields. Finally, it has been expected that this nanocomposite to be applied in biological, EM shields, wearable and electronic devices at an affordable cost.