The Intersection of Computational Design and Wearable-Optimized Electrospun Structural Nanohybrids for Electromagnetic Absorption

By leveraging the principles of electromagnetic theory and materials science, the characteristics of dielectric polymer composites can be optimized, eliminating repetitive trial-and-error in their application as electromagnetic absorbers (EMAs). Herein, a systematic framework for optimizing the thickness and composition of double-layer EMAs is proposed, using a combination of transmission line, Debye relaxation, and Maxwell-Garnett theories. Following theoretical optimization, a double-layered electrospun EMA is fabricated, which comprises a approximate to 1.17 mm thick matrix of styrene-butadiene-styrene (SBS) decorated with MXene on its fibrous structure. The second SBS layer, with a thickness of approximate to 0.52 mm, incorporates a hybrid of MXene and graphene nanoribbons (GNR) as conductive additives. The EMA exhibits durable electrical performance after 2000 tensile cycles, owing to the surface chemistry engineering and the novel in situ assembly technique. It is capable of shielding 99.9% of the incident wave and >80% absorptivity (A) over almost the entire K-u-band. The EMA also exhibits desirable mechanical characteristics, such as >300% stretchability and full twist and wrinkle recoveries, making it an excellent choice for protective attire applications. Additionally, the introduced approach provides solutions for the advancement of tailorable polymer composite EMAs, with respect to specific criteria of the target wave frequency, effective absorption bandwidth, and absorption levels.