Professor Chong Min Koo's research team from the School of Advanced Materials Science and Engineering at Sungkyunkwan University, in collaboration with Professor Youngjin Jeong at Soongsil University, has developed a flexible, lightweight, and robust Janus film composed of MXene and carbon nanotubes (CNTs). This advanced hybrid materials demonstrates exceptional electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and infrared (IR) shielding/detection capabilities, even under extreme conditions ranging from cryogenic to high temperatures. The study, led by first author Dr. Tufail Hassan, was published in the prestigious journal Nano-Micro Letters (Impact Factor: 31.6).

Modern defense, aerospace, and electronic applications demand ultrathin, flexible, and multifunctional materials capable of operating under harsh environmental stressors. Traditional EMI shielding materials like copper, while effective, suffer from drawbacks including high weight, corrosion susceptibility, and limited processability. MXenes—2D materials known for high electrical conductivity and low IR emissivity—present a promising alternative, but their application is hindered by oxidation sensitivity and mechanical fragility.

To address the limitations of conventional MXene materials, the team synthesized highly crystalline, oxidation-resistant Ti₃C₂Tₓ MXene and integrated it with a mechanically robust carbon nanotube (CNT) film through hydrogen bonding to create a Janus architecture.

The resulting 15 µm-thick Janus film demonstrated exceptional multifunctionality, including an EMI shielding effectiveness of 72 dB in the X-band, ultralow IR emissivity of 0.09, and high IR detection sensitivity, evidenced by a 44% increase in resistance under 250 W IR exposure.

Importantly, the film maintained its structural and functional integrity after 300 bending cycles and 30 thermal shock cycles across a 396 °C temperature range, significantly outperforming conventional MXene- or polymer-based materials in durability, electrical performance, and thermal camouflage.

Fabricated via a scalable vacuum-assisted filtration method, the Janus film is well-suited for industrial-scale production. Its asymmetric design enables dual-mode operation: the MXene side provides efficient IR reflection for stealth functionality, while the CNT side enables high-sensitivity IR detection—making it highly suitable for next-generation military, aerospace, and wearable sensing technologies.

This work establishes a new benchmark for multifunctional shielding materials and paves the way for resilient, adaptive systems capable of withstanding extreme environmental conditions.

This study was financially supported by grants from the Basic Science Research Program (2021M3H4A1A03047327 and 2022R1A2C3006227) through the National Research Foundation of Korea, funded by the Ministry of Science, ICT, and Future Planning, Republic of Korea; and the National Research Council of Science & Technology (NST), funded by the Korean Government (MSIT) (CRC22031-000).

Paper title: Multifunctional MXene/Carbon Nanotube Janus Film for Electromagnetic Shielding and Infrared Shielding/Detection in Harsh Environments

Journal: Nano-Micro Letters DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-024-01431-3

Figure 1: A schematic illustration highlights the film’s excellent mechanical strength, electromagnetic interference shielding, infrared shielding/detection capabilities, and remarkable retention of performance even after repeated bending cycles and thermal shock with a temperature difference of 396 °C.