Hybrid Polyaniline/rGO/AgNWs Composites for High-Performance EMI Shielding

Abstract

As electronic devices and wireless systems continue to expand rapidly, electromagnetic interference (EMI) has become a pressing issue, impacting both the functionality of electronic components and human well-being. Conductive polymer composites have gathered attention for EMI shielding due to their lightweight nature, mechanical flexibility, and ability to overcome the drawbacks of traditional metallic and carbon-based materials. Among the most promising fillers, reduced graphene oxide (rGO) and silver nanowires (AgNWs) stand out, offering high electrical conductivity, low percolation thresholds, and uniform dispersion within polymer matrices. In this study, novel polyaniline-based composite materials for electro- magnetic interference (EMI) shielding were developed by incorporating reduced graphene oxide (rGO), silver nanowires (AgNWs), and their hybrid (rGO/AgNWs) into a polymer matrix. To obtain flexible films with enhanced mechanical properties, the synthesized composites were incorporated into a polycaprolactone matrix. Morphology of prepared films was examined using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDX), while molecular structure was analyzed by FTIR and Raman spectroscopy. Electrical properties relevant to EMI shielding were evaluated using a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA). The PANI/rGO/AgNWs composite is anticipated to exhibit excellent EMI shielding performance due to uniform filler dispersion and the conductive pathways formed by metallic nanowires within the PANI matrix. This results in enhanced electrical conductivity and effective shielding, even at low filler content and minimal thickness, demonstrating strong potential for practical electromagnetic protection applications.