TiS₂ quantum dots composite carbon nanotubes aerogel with electromagnetic interference shielding effect

Abstract Titanium disulfide quantum dots (TiS₂ QDs) has garnered significant research interest due to its distinctive electronic and optical properties. However, the effectiveness of TiS2 QDs in electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is influenced by various factors, including their size, morphology, monodispersity, tunable bandgap, Stokes shift and interfacial effects. In this study, we propose a systematic approach for the synthesis of TiS2 QDs with small size (3.1 nm), uniform dispersion (~1.5 nm), a transition from indirect to direct bandgap (bulk 0.09 eV- monolayer 0.69 eV), large Stokes shift (~93 nm) and larger surface area containing multiple active interfaces, achieved through ultrasound-assisted liquid phase processing. Subsequently, these QDs are combined with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to fabricate an aerogel with outstanding EMI shielding capabilities. The resulting TiS₂ QDs composite CNTs (C-TiS2) aerogel demonstrates robust EMI shielding of 51.9 dB within the microwave X-band (8–12.4 GHz) due to its porous and lightweight structure, effectively mitigating incoming electromagnetic (EM) radiation. Overall, this study highlights the promising properties of C-TiS2 aerogel for applications in both civilian and military fields.