Dual-Functional Phase Change Composites Integrating Thermal Buffering and Electromagnetic Wave Absorption via Multi-interfacial Engineering

Abstract

The rapid development of miniaturized and high-power electronics urgently demands multifunctional materials that simultaneously mitigate thermal shock and electromagnetic interference (EMI). While phase change materials (PCMs) offer thermal buffering capabilities, their limited thermal conductivity and inability to address EMI restrict applications in integrated electronic systems. Herein, we develop multi-interfacial engineered composite PCMs (PW–MXene/CNFs@MoS₂) that synergistically integrate thermal management and electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption. Through hierarchical assembly of 2D MXene and MoS₂ nanosheets on a 3D carbon nanofiber (CNF) network, composite PCMs achieve synergistic dual functionality. The architecture establishes an efficient phonon conductive framework for rapid thermal dissipation, while maintaining remarkable heat storage capacity of 121.8 J/g. Additionally, polarization-enhanced heterointerfaces enable excellent EMW absorption (− 64.1 dB reflection loss across 4.28 GHz bandwidth below 2.1 mm). The composite PCMs also exhibit outstanding cyclic stability, retaining 97% of their phase change enthalpy after 300 thermal cycles, while maintaining superior leakage resistance under combined thermal and mechanical stresses. Practical validation reveals its dual functionality: a 6.4 °C thermal buffer under 1200 W/m² thermal shock and effective Bluetooth signal shielding. This work provides an innovative solution for the synergistic management of thermal shock and electromagnetic interference issues, showing viable potential for applications in advanced electronic systems.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Phase change materials / Thermal management / Electromagnetic wave absorption / Multi-interfacial engineering / Synergistic enhancement

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Donghua University, Shanghai, China