Multifunctional NiCo@RGO/SWNTs foam with oriented pore structure for excellent electromagnetic interference shielding

Constructing multifunctional material toward advanced electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding has become a development trend. Carbon-based foams with excellent EMI shielding performance and structural stability for various environments are being widely studied. Here, an oriented pore structure was assembled with a carbon-based conductive skeleton, consisting of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) and two-dimensional reduced graphene oxide (RGO), for facilitating the electromagnetic wave (EMW) to be multilevelly reflected in the confined space. In addition, magnetic NiCo nanoparticles were introduced to further improve the shielding performance by enhancing the magnetic loss. The as-prepared NiCo@RGO/SWNTs foam (NiCo@RSF) exhibited an exceptional EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 105 dB at the whole X band (8.2–12.4 GHz) with an ultralow density (0.0135 g cm−3). Moreover, the foam possessed extraordinary heat insulation and flame-retardant properties. Overall, the lightweight multifunctional foam with an oriented pore structure is thus promising for applications in advanced EMI shielding and other specific areas.