TiS₂ quantum dots composite carbon nanotubes aerogel with electromagnetic interference shielding effect

Abstract Titanium disulfide quantum dots (TiS 2 QDs) has garnered significant research interest due to its distinctive electronic and optical properties. However, the effectiveness of TiS 2 QDs in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is influenced by various factors, including their size, morphology, monodispersity, tunable bandgap, Stokes shift and interfacial effects. In this study, we propose a systematic approach for the synthesis of TiS 2 QDs with small size (3.1 nm), uniform dispersion (∼1.5 nm), a transition from indirect to direct bandgap (bulk 0.09 eV-monolayer 0.69 eV), large Stokes shift (∼93 nm) and larger surface area containing multiple active interfaces, achieved through ultrasound-assisted liquid phase processing. Subsequently, these QDs are combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to fabricate an aerogel with outstanding EMI shielding capabilities. The resulting TiS 2 QDs composite CNTs (C-TiS 2 ) aerogel demonstrates robust EMI shielding of 51.9 dB within the microwave X-band (8–12.4 GHz) due to its porous and lightweight structure, effectively mitigating incoming electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Overall, this study highlights the promising properties of C-TiS 2 aerogel for applications in both civilian and military fields.