Fabrication of segregated poly(arylene sulfide sulfone)/graphene nanoplate composites reinforced by polymer fibers for electromagnetic interference shielding

Abstract Poly(arylene sulfide sulfone)/graphene nanoplate (PASS/GNP) composites with segregated structure based on continuous polymer fiber skeletons were fabricated by coating a thin conductive layer on the PASS fibers and then performing compression molding. The formation of a unique segregated conductive network endowed the PASS/GNP composites with high electrical conductivity and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE), reaching 17.8 ​S/m and 30.1 ​dB, respectively, when the content of the GNPs in the conductive layer was 20 ​wt%. The PASS/GNP composites also exhibited outstanding mechanical properties, which was attributed to the continuous PASS fiber skeletons that could withstand large loads and the strong interfacial interaction between the conductive layers and the PASS fibers that could provide good stress transfer. This approach is suitable for most soluble polymers.