3D printed lightweight honeycomb vent structures with subsequent coating of silver nanowires for efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding

•3D printed vent structures offer EMI shielding and thermal cooling via air circulation•Additive manufacturing combined with nanomaterials shows great potential in EMI shielding•High aspect ratio silver nanowires make continuous conductive grid on the printed structures•With 2mm height and 2mm honeycomb cell size, structure offers up to 35dB attenuation in X-band•Intricate honeycombs attenuate EM waves primarily through absorption (up to 70%) In light of the rapid advancements within the electronic industry, the urgent need for the development and implementation of advanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials has become paramount. Herein a novel approach is presented for developing of lightweight honeycomb structures using 3D printing technology, combined with subsequent conductive spray coating, containing Silver Nanowires (AgNWs), to achieve effective EMI shielding as well as air vent functionality for thermal cooling.Using polyol method, AgNWs were synthesized having high aspect ratio and crystallinity for to be used as conductive coating on 3D printed structures. The EMI shielding results in X-band demonstrated that the developed structures exhibit promising EMI shielding properties, up to 35 dB attenuation with 2mm honeycomb cell size, making them suitable for applications requiring EMI protection along with air venting. More importantly in all samples major contribution of the shielding efficiency comes from the absorption of the EM waves (up to 75%) inside the structures which is helpful to reduce reflected EM noise.Effort was to effectively addresses the inherent limitations of conventional processing technology, by using additive manufacturing and material science to create structures for EMI shielding applications, bridging the gap between existing materials and desired components. In light of the rapid advancements within the electronic industry, the urgent need for the development and implementation of advanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials has become paramount. Herein a novel approach is presented for developing of lightweight honeycomb structures using 3D printing technology, combined with subsequent conductive spray coating, containing Silver Nanowires (AgNWs), to achieve effective EMI shielding as well as air vent functionality for thermal cooling. Using polyol method, AgNWs were synthesized having high aspect ratio and crystallinity for to be used as conductive coating on 3D printed structures. The EMI shielding results in X-band demonstrated that the developed structures exhibit promising EMI shielding properties, up to 35 dB attenuation with 2mm honeycomb cell size, making them suitable for applications requiring EMI protection along with air venting. More importantly in all samples major contribution of the shielding efficiency comes from the absorption of the EM waves (up to 75%) inside the structures which is helpful to reduce reflected EM noise. Effort was to effectively addresses the inherent limitations of conventional processing technology, by using additive manufacturing and material science to create structures for EMI shielding applications, bridging the gap between existing materials and desired components.