Electromagnetic interference shielding effects of modified carbon nanotube-nylon 12 composite films

Metal-based electromagnetic interference shielding materials are limited in their application due to their susceptibility to corrosion. They are therefore being replaced by corrosion-resistant polymers and carbon nanotubes. However, it is difficult to disperse carbon nanotubes within polymer matrices as they aggregate because of van der Waals forces. Therefore, to improve the dispersion of carbon nanotubes, we modified thin-wall carbon nanotubes with flavin mononucleotides and tested them by manufacturing a polymer composite. Nylon 12 was chosen as the polymer matrix owing to its excellent abrasion resistance and low wettability. Furthermore, upon annealing the modified carbon nanotubes, the tensile strength of the composite and dispersion after modification increased. When 10 wt% of the annealed modified nanotubes was used, the composite exhibited a sheet resistance of 8.7 & OHM;/sq and an EMI shielding effectiveness of 29.4 dB in the X-band. The novel composite can be advantageous for use in electronic equipment due to its low weight and flexibility.