Recorded 99.9999994% electromagnetic shielding rate
| Overcoming limitations by adding titanium carbide to graphene
Suitable for electronic devices in environments with high electromagnetic radiation exposure

Domestic researchers have succeeded in developing an electromagnetic shielding material using a graphene composite.

The Electronics and Telecommunications Research Institute (ETRI) announced on the 24th that it has developed a lightweight electromagnetic shielding material with high electrical conductivity by adding 'MXene' to a graphene composite material.

With the recent surge in electronic devices around us, the demand for electromagnetic shielding technology is increasing. The shielding material developed by ETRI has achieved the world's highest electromagnetic shielding rate (99.9999994%) among nanocomposite materials. It can also function as a pressure sensor by detecting changes in resistance with high performance as pressure varies.

The new material can be applied to various fields aimed at electromagnetic shielding. The research team predicted that it would be widely used in electronic and medical devices with high electromagnetic exposure or high density, automotive electronic components, wearable smart products, and robots.

Previously, electromagnetic shielding materials were primarily developed using metals such as copper. However, metal materials are heavy and difficult to process. Although there have been studies attempting to block electromagnetic waves using graphene, there were limitations due to its lower electrical conductivity compared to metals.

The research team overcame the limitations by adding titanium carbide ( _Ti₃C₂ ) _, a type of MXene, to the graphene-polymer composite material. It is not only flexible and inexpensive but also easier to manufacture than metal materials, making it advantageous for mass production of commercial products as films or coatings.

Furthermore, the potential for application as a pressure sensor was confirmed by measuring the change in resistance caused by structural deformation under external pressure using a graphene/polymer composite material having a porous structure. In particular, when two-dimensional transition metal carbides are incorporated, the sensitivity, which indicates the performance of the pressure sensor, is enhanced due to the increase in specific surface area.

Transition metal carbides are materials that have a two-dimensional plate-like layered structure in which a transition metal (titanium) and carbon are bonded. They have high electrical conductivity and many hydrophilic functional groups formed on their surface, so unlike graphene, they can be evenly dispersed using water as a solvent. Thanks to this, it has the advantage of being easy to manufacture films or coat onto various materials.

Dr. Choi Chun-ki of the New Materials Research Laboratory at ETRI's ICT Creative Research Institute stated, "As a nanocomposite, this technology possesses world-class electromagnetic shielding performance while simultaneously enabling multi-functional capabilities, such as sensor functions that respond sensitively to even small external pressures and planar heating elements."

In addition, the research team explained that since it can be manufactured into films or coated, it can be applied in various ways as a shielding material suitable for environments exposed to harmful electromagnetic waves, such as electronic and medical devices, automotive electronic components, wearable smart devices, and robot skins.

This technology is currently undergoing related domestic and international patent applications and registrations, and it is expected to be commercialized within two years as it can be immediately transferred to companies related to electronic devices, electronic materials, and electromagnetic shielding.

Meanwhile, the research team plans to develop film manufacturing and coating technologies for large-area material production and conduct future research to achieve a high shielding rate of over 90dB in the ultra-high frequency millimeter wave (30–300GHz) band.