One-step aerosol synthesis of iron nanoparticles coated single-walled carbon nanotubes (Fe@SWCNT) for multifunctional composite textiles with electromagnetic interference shielding properties.

Single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) based nanocomposites demonstrate remarkable electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding potential. However, the efficient and rapid fabrication of SWCNT-based nanocomposite remains a technical challenge. This study successfully one-step synthesizes iron (Fe) nanoparticle-enriched SWCNTs (Fe@SWCNT) using the floating catalyst chemical vapor deposition (FCCVD) method in the aerosol phase. The aerosol-synthesized Fe@SWCNTs were directly integrated with carbon cloth (CC) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) to develop a compelling nanocomposite film for multifunctional EMI shielding. The composite film exhibits exceptional shielding effectiveness of 50.2 dB in the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz) with absolute shielding effectiveness (SSE t) of 3279.3 dB cm²/g. Notably, the film also displays rapid and uniform electrical heating at low voltages, reaching a temperature of 110.4 °C under a 1.0 V. Overall, this study reveals the potential applications of multifunctional textiles in fields such as EMI shielding, hydrophobicity, and thermal management. [Display omitted] • One-step synthesis of Fe@SWCNT in aerosol phase has been achieved. • The number of Fe nanoparticles can be well regulated by controlling the feeding rate. • The Fe@SWCNT film demonstrated EMI shielding of 50.2 dB at the X-band. • The composite film displays good hydrophobicity and electrical heating performance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]