Flexible electromagnetic functional fibers with synergistic dual-loss mechanisms: achieving ultra-broadband absorption and mechanical robustness

Abstract

The escalation of electromagnetic pollution driven by modern industrial advancement highlights the critical role of flexible electromagnetic functional fibers in shielding applications. However, the trade-off between electromagnetic absorption and mechanical robustness remains a formidable challenge. In this study, functional particles were synergistically modified by cetyltrimethylammonium bromide and OP-10 through electrostatic and hydrophobic interactions. This strategy enhances steric hindrance effects, optimizes particle size and dispersion, and creates numerous heterogeneous interfaces, thereby improving interfacial polarization capabilities. Simultaneously, the incorporation of magnetic components significantly promotes electromagnetic synergistic effects, enhancing electromagnetic absorption capacity in the high-frequency range. The resulting functional fiber achieves broad absorption across nearly the entire Ku-band (12–18 GHz) while maintaining a tensile strength of 1.51 cN/dtex. Additionally, this fiber achieves absorption efficiencies exceeding 88.8% within the 18–40 GHz frequency band, with its effective absorption bandwidth covering the entire K-band and half of the Ka-band. Its radar cross-section attenuation reaches 31.74 dBm² at an incident angle of 33°. This work provides a novel method for fabricating flexible electromagnetic textiles that integrate excellent processability, mechanical robustness, and absorption performance, showing great potential in the wearable electronics field.