Enhanced Electromagnetic Interference Shielding in a Au-MWCNT Composite Nanostructure Dispersed PVDF Thin Films

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness and conductivities in a flexible conducting polymer composite film, prepared via a simple solvent cast method, of PVDF incorporated with Au-MWCNT are studied. The scanning electron microscopic analysis showed that the Au-loaded MWCNT uniformly dispersed in PVDF. The HRTEM images show that Au nanoparticles having a particle size of 20-30 nm have been deposited on the nodes of the MWCNT. The values of dielectric constant were found to be 12.11 and 13.89 at 1 MHz upon the incorporation of 1 and 3 wt % MWCNT in PVDF. The impedance and electromagnetic interference shielding effectiveness studies reveal that the polymer nanocomposites possess enhanced conductivity of 1.12 × 10-4 S/cm at 1 MHz, minimum return loss of 4.4 dB, and effective electromagnetic shielding of 26.7 dB at 12 GHz for 3 wt % Au NPs in 3 wt % MWCNT/PVDF thin film.