Electromagnetic Attenuation Performance of Sustainable e-Textile Derived from Polypyrrole Impregnated Jute Fabrics with Predominant Microwave Absorption

Abstract

The proliferation of electromagnetic (EM) pollution is more rapid now and can be more outrageous in near future due to the exponential growth of the electronics industry. Strategy of using natural fibers for fabricating efficient EMI shielding materials is an environmentally benign solution for this serious peril. With this motivation, we are introducing novel e-textile derived from sustainable jute fabrics that are capable of suppressing and absorbing EM radiations in the frequency range 8.2–12.4 GHz (X-band). In the present work, jute fabrics were in-situ polymerized with pyrrole monomer. These conductive fabrics were then characterized and correlated for their structure, morphology, thermal stability, electrical conductivity, and EMI shielding capabilities. Moreover, this e-textile showcased excellent electrical conductivity of 1.160 S/cm and exhibited a maximum EMI shielding effectiveness value of −30.2 dB (>99.9% blockage) at 1 mm fabric thickness by a predominant absorption behavior with menial reflection or secondary pollution, which is highly beneficial for commercial applications. This is so far the first report of jute fabrics as e-textile with the highest shielding efficacy value reported, which makes them an ideal candidate for next generation of smart and wearable electronic textiles for futuristic applications such as robotics and artificial intelligence (AI).

Keywords

• emi shielding
• microwave absorption
• polypyrrole
• conductive fabrics
• e-textiles
• dielectric studies