Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Properties of Conductive Polyaniline/TiO₂/MoS₂ Hybrid Composites

Abstract

This study investigates the hybrid ternary composite of polyaniline (PANI), titanium dioxide (TiO₂), and molybdenum disulfide (MoS₂) to improve electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in high-frequency electronic devices. The study examines the shielding effectiveness (SE) of this hybrid composite by altering MoS₂ concentrations. The composite was created through a four-stage in situ polymerization method, with MoS₂ levels at 10, 20, and 30 wt % and a fixed TiO₂ content of 10 wt %. A Vector network analyzer (VNA) was employed to measure EMI SE and complex permittivity in the 8.2-12.4 GHz frequency range. The composite with 20 wt % MoS₂ exhibited the highest SE of 50.86 dB for 3 mm thickness, surpassing other formulations. The enhanced shielding performance is credited to the synergistic effects of MoS₂ and TiO₂, which enhance the impedance matching, electrical conductivity, and electromagnetic wave dissipation. Further analysis revealed that factors, such as binding and agglomeration during in situ polymerization, along with electromagnetic absorption and multiple scattering mechanisms, significantly influence the shielding process. The results indicate that the optimized PANI/TiO₂/MoS₂ hybrid composite shows promise as an effective EMI shielding material for cutting-edge electronic and communication applications.