Flexible Fe3O4/Ag/RGO Triple-Layer-Coated Cotton Fabric for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

With the rapid development of electronic devices and wireless communication systems, electromagnetic interference pollution has become a critical concern, driving the urgent demand for high-performance, lightweight, and flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials. To endow fabrics with excellent electromagnetic shielding, a Fe3O4/Ag/RGO ternary nanocomposite-coated cotton fabric for electrical conductivity and EMI shielding application was developed. The cotton fabric pretreated with dopamine was coated with graphene oxide (GO), followed by silver nanoparticles (Ag) via a microwave-assisted chemical reduction method, and Ag/reduced graphene oxide (RGO)-coated cotton. Subsequently, nano-ferroferric oxide was deposited on Ag/RGO-coated cotton fabric using a coprecipitation method. The results show that the surface resistance of Fe3O4/Ag/RGO-coated cotton fabric arrives at 1.68 Ω/sq, demonstrating excellent electrically conductive performance. Fe3O4/Ag/RGO-coated cotton fabric demonstrates outstanding electromagnetic shielding performance, with SE values exceeding 45 dB across the entire 1–18 GHz range. The flexibility and superior electromagnetic shielding performance of Fe3O4/Ag/RGO-coated cotton fabric render it a promising candidate for applications in wearable electronics, aerospace, advanced protective systems, and military protective clothing.