Conductive polymer nanocomposite incorporated with carbon nanotubes for effective electromagnetic interference shielding: A numerical study

Abstract

This study presents a comprehensive numerical investigation of the electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding capabilities of a conductive polymer nanocomposite incorporated with carbon nanotubes (CPNC) in the X-band. The investigation is conducted using a commercial finite element simulation package, Ansys HFSS. The study focuses on analyzing the EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of CPNC by varying the weight percent (wt%) of carbon nanotubes (CNTs), thickness, and shape of the shielding material. Our outcomes show that the EMI SE of CPNC increases with the wt% of CNTs. Notably, a maximum EMI SE is observed around ~90 dB due to absorption (SEA) at a 4 mm pallet-shaped CPNC and ~180 dB for a hollow cylindrical CPNC (22.86 mm outer diameter and 3 mm thickness) with 2 wt% of CNT. The EMI SE due to absorption (SEA) at a pallet thickness of 4 mm exhibits a significant improvement of ~107% compared to the SEA observed at a thickness of 1 mm. These findings highlight the exceptional absorption capabilities and lightweight nature of CPNC, rendering it a promising shielding material for aerospace and satellite communication applications. Highlights: EMI SE of CPNC increases with the wt% of CNT in the polypyrrole (PPy) matrix. The percolation threshold is observed at a low 2 wt% concentration of CNT. Thickness of the shielding material influences the EMI SE of CPNC. CPNC provides absorption-dominated shielding. © 2023 Society of Plastics Engineers.