Dual-Network Structure in Ionogel Fiber for Enhancing Electromagnetic Interference Shielding and Mechanical Properties.

Abstract

Electromagnetic wave pollution has seriously affected human body health owing to rapid technological development, such as 5G/6G communication networks. The demand for wearable materials with high-performance electromagnetic protection and excellent mechanical properties is urgent, but still lacks reasonable preparing strategies to realize multifunctional features. Here, we develop a dual-network structural strategy to construct a high-performance ionogel fiber by using a scalable dry-spinning method. In this approach, semi-crystalline hydroxypropyl cellulose (HPC) combined with poly thioctic acid (PTA) serves as a structural backbone by hydrogen bonding network; simultaneously, MXene nanosheets and IL [EMI][ES] build an interconnected 3D conductive network, imparting functional properties to the backbone matrix. The ionogel fiber exhibits excellent EMI shielding effectiveness (60.6 dB), high strength (9.5 MPa), superior elongation (>200%), good self-healing, and recyclability. Notably, we found that the electromagnetic shielding performance of the fabric woven from the ionogel fibers increases by up to 7.5% within a strain range of ≤10.0%. This enhancement can be due to a stretch-induced orientation of the MXene nanosheets, which optimizes the internal conductive network of the ionogel. This work offers a promising route toward next-generation, wearable electromagnetic protection materials adaptable to both static and dynamic environments.