From Filler to Structure: Designing 3D-Printable Silicone Elastomers with Broadband Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

The original data of this manuscript. The abstract of this article is given as followed.Material extrusion has revolutionized the fabrication of silicone elastomers with intricate and customized structures. However, the trade-off between the ink printability and functional filler compounding impedes the advancement of 3D-printed silicone elastomers for applications such as electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and thermal management. In this study, we present a novel approach to fabricating functional silicone elastomers, focusing on the design of fillers, inks and structures. Ink printability was achieved by modified nanosheets, which conferred the thixotropy and self-support capacity to inks by constructing dynamic interfacial interactions within the silicone matrix. Additionally, modified nanosheets exhibited a “lubricating” effect under high shear rates owing to their layered structure, thereby facilitating a smooth extrusion process. Utilizing EMI shielding simulations of periodic porous structures as a guide, we successfully printed broadband EMI shielding silicone elastomers. Furthermore, the versatility of our approach was demonstrated through the creation of customized 3D-printed shielding boxes and wearable thermal management films, showcasing the diverse potential applications of the 3D-printed silicone elastomers. We anticipate that our innovative design approach will bridge the gap between functional elastomers and 3D printing technology, opening up new avenues for their applications in various fields.

本稿件的原始数据及本文摘要如下：
材料挤出成型技术极大推动了具有复杂定制化结构的硅基弹性体的制备发展。然而，墨水可打印性与功能填料复合之间的权衡取舍，阻碍了3D打印硅基弹性体在电磁干扰（EMI）屏蔽、热管理等领域的应用发展。
本研究提出了一种制备功能型硅基弹性体的全新方法，重点围绕填料、打印墨水及打印结构开展设计。通过改性纳米片构建硅基体内部的动态界面相互作用，可赋予打印墨水触变性与自支撑能力，从而实现墨水的可打印性。此外，改性纳米片凭借其层状结构，在高剪切速率下可表现出“润滑”效应，进而助力实现顺畅的挤出成型过程。
本研究以周期性多孔结构的EMI屏蔽仿真为设计指引，成功制备并打印出宽频电磁屏蔽型硅基弹性体。此外，本研究通过制备定制化3D打印屏蔽盒与可穿戴热管理薄膜，验证了该方法的通用性，充分展现了3D打印硅基弹性体的多样化应用潜力。我们期望，这一创新性设计方法能够弥合功能型弹性体与3D打印技术之间的应用鸿沟，为其在多领域的应用开辟全新路径。