Development of functional Ti3C2TX MXene/cement composites with electromagnetic wave absorption and shielding capabilities

The present study has attempted to develop cementitious composites with electromagnetic (EM) absorbing and shielding properties utilising a low dosage of Ti3C2TX MXene flakes. A polytetrafluoroethylene mould was employed to prepare MXene/cement paste and cement mortar specimens. The microscopic morphology, elemental identity, crystal structure, and chemical functional groups of MXene flakes and MXene/cementitious composites were characterised by a series of microscopic tests. The response behaviour and interaction mechanism of MXene/cement composites with EM fields have been thoroughly investigated from various perspectives, including the evolution of dielectric and permeability parameters, EM wave loss characteristics, EM wave absorption characteristics, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness (SE). The findings indicated that mono-layered MXene flakes possessed the capacity to establish a potentially uninterrupted conductive network within cement composites, and to exert an influence on the crystalline phase characteristics of the cement paste during hydration. The MXene has been demonstrated to enhance the dielectric constant and the EM wave loss of cement pastes and mortars. Furthermore, the reflection loss and the impedance matching outcomes demonstrated that both 1.8 wt.% MXene/cement paste and 1.2 wt.% MXene/cement mortar possessed the optimal EM absorbing capability. The total EMI SE has been found to rise with increasing MXene mass ratio for both cement paste and mortar. Generally, MXene/cement composites exhibited EM shielding mechanisms dominated by absorption. This study may provide novel insights and industry theoretical support for the universal application of MXene materials in EM wave absorbing and shielding in the field of lightweight, and high-strength building materials.