Ultrathin Flexible Graphene Film for High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding via Infrared-Assisted Rapid Thermal Shock Exfoliation

Lightweight, flexible, and high-strength electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with high shielding effectiveness (SE) are desirable for portable/wearable electronics. Here, we reported an efficient synthesis of a highly aligned conductive graphene film by an infrared-assisted rapid thermal shock exfoliation. Benefiting from its noncontact thermal radiation heating with a homogeneous and efficient thermal field, gas is rapidly generated from graphene oxide films. This results in a sharp increase in the interlayer pressure and thus forms a mesoporous interlayer structure, which could be compressed into compact films with enhanced conductivity and mechanical strength. A relatively low-temperature treatment at 1500 °C healed partial defects in graphene sheets and gave an ultrathin (∼10 μm) graphene film with remarkable properties of high electrical conductivity of ∼1500 S cm-1, a high EMI SE of 52 dB in the X band, and high tensile strength of up to 160 MPa. This time-saving fabrication process makes graphene film a competitive candidate for practical EMI shielding applications.