Issue

Vol. 16 (2024)

Liquid Metal Grid Patterned Thin Film Devices Toward Absorption-Dominant and Strain-Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01457-7
Yuwen Wei
Department of Polymer‑Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
Priyanuj Bhuyan
School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
Suk Jin Kwon
Composites Research Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 51508, Republic of Korea
Sihyun Kim
Department of Polymer‑Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
Yejin Bae
Department of Polymer‑Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
Mukesh Singh
School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea
Duy Thanh Tran
Department of Polymer‑Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
Minjeong Ha
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Gwangju Institute of Science and Technology, Gwangju 61005, Republic of Korea
Kwang‑Un Jeong
Department of Polymer‑Nano Science and Technology, Department of Nano Convergence Engineering, Jeonbuk National University, Jeonju 54896, Republic of Korea
Xing Ma
School of Materials Science and Engineering, and Sauvage Laboratory for Smart Materials, Harbin Institute of Technology (Shenzhen), Shenzhen, Guangdong 518055, People’s Republic of China
Byeongjin Park
Composites Research Division, Korea Institute of Materials Science, Changwon 51508, Republic of Korea
Sungjune Park
School of Chemical Engineering, Sungkyunkwan University (SKKU), Suwon 16419, Republic of Korea

Corresponding Author: Sungjune Park

sungjunepark@skku.edu

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 16 (2024), Article Number: 248

Abstract

The demand of high-performance thin-film-shaped deformable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding devices is increasing for the next generation of wearable and miniaturized soft electronics. Although highly reflective conductive materials can effectively shield EMI, they prevent deformation of the devices owing to rigidity and generate secondary electromagnetic pollution simultaneously. Herein, soft and stretchable EMI shielding thin film devices with absorption-dominant EMI shielding behavior is presented. The devices consist of liquid metal (LM) layer and LM grid-patterned layer separated by a thin elastomeric film, fabricated by leveraging superior adhesion of aerosol-deposited LM on elastomer. The devices demonstrate high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency) owing to EMI absorption induced by multiple internal reflection generated in the LM grid architectures. Remarkably, the excellent stretchability of the LM-based devices facilitates tunable EMI shielding abilities through grid space adjustment upon strain (resonant frequency shift from 81.3 to 71.3 GHz @ 33% strain) and is also capable of retaining shielding effectiveness even after multiple strain cycles. This newly explored device presents an advanced paradigm for powerful EMI shielding performance for next-generation smart electronics.


Highlights:
1 Multiple internal reflection-based absorption-dominant stretchable electromagnetic shielding thin film by incorporating liquid metal grid structure is developed.
2 The device demonstrates high electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (SE) (SET of up to 75 dB) with low reflectance (SER of 1.5 dB at the resonant frequency).
3 The shielding properties of the device can be tuned by adjusting the liquid metal patterned grid spaces upon strain.

Keywords

Absorption-dominant electromagnetic interference shielding Liquid metals Soft and stretchable electronics Thin film devices Tunable electromagnetic interference shielding
Wei, Yuwen, Priyanuj Bhuyan, Suk Jin Kwon, Sihyun Kim, Yejin Bae, Mukesh Singh, Duy Thanh Tran, Minjeong Ha, Kwang‑Un Jeong, Xing Ma, Byeongjin Park, and Sungjune Park. 2024. “Liquid Metal Grid Patterned Thin Film Devices Toward Absorption-Dominant and Strain-Tunable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding”. Nano-Micro Letters 16 (July):248. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01457-7.
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