Highly flexible and ultra-thin carbon-fabric/Ag/waterborne polyurethane film for ultra-efficient EMI shielding

We report in this work an ultra-thin and flexible carbon-fabric/Ag/waterborne polyurethane film (named CEF-NF/Ag/WPU film) that exhibits ultra-efficient EMI shielding property using electroless Ag plating combined with the enhanced-pressing process. The optimal CEF-NF/Ag/WPU film (0.183 mm) displays an ultra-high electrical conductivity of 11986.8 S/cm and a superior EMI-SE of 102.9 dB, which demonstrates the Ag deposition can effectively improve the electrical and EMI shielding performance. Compared with the film without an enhanced-pressing, the EMI-SE of a CEF-NF/Ag/WPU film with an enhanced-pressing showed an increase of about 37.5%. The porous structure deposited with Ag particles coating endows this composite film with remarkable EMI-SE at a thin thickness and lightweight (SSEt up to 5808.7 dB cm2 g−1) which outperforms most works. At last, this CEF-NF/Ag/WPU film performs outstanding reliability after ultrasound treatment, bending test and thermal reliability test. In summary, this film has great potential in the fields of wearable devices and flexible materials. [Display omitted] •A lightweight, ultra-thin and flexible carbon-fabric/Ag/waterborne polyurethane film with efficient EMI shielding property was prepared.•The EMI shielding performance of this film improved by 37.5% through an enhanced- pressing process due to a denser Ag particle structure.•This film with 100-min Ag-deposition and enhanced-pressing shows a conductivity of 11986.8 S/cm and an EMI-SE of 102.9 dB at 0.183 mm thickness.•The shielding mechanism of this film has been fully discussed, which is actually dominated by reflection.•The EMI-SE dropped by 1.87% after ultrasonic treatment, bending test and thermal reliability test demonstrating outstanding reliability.