Lightweight Porous Composites for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption/Shielding and Thermal Management

Abstract

The rapid integration of electronic devices and equipment has intensified two reliability challenges of electromagnetic (EM) interference (EMI) and heat accumulation that severely compromise device performance, reliability, and safety. Particularly in weight-sensitive fields such as aerospace, avionics, and portable electronics, there is a pressing need for materials that can weaken EMI and manage the heat transfer. 

To address these demands, this seminar introduces a lightweight, porous composite platform that addresses EMI and thermal management in a unified materials and structural design framework, based on freeze‑casting followed by ambient pressure drying (APD). First, introduce conductive APD aerogels and hydrogels with tailored composition and pore architecture for tunable microwave absorption and EMI shielding, which can achieve an adjustable balance between absorption- and reflection-dominated behaviour. Second, utilizing the directional freeze-casting method, anisotropic boron nitride (BN)-based porous composites can be produced for passive cooling and temperature regulation of exposed structures, which is essential for aircraft and electronic systems. Finally, we address the designable integration of structure and function by innovative manufacturing, such as 3D freeze-printing, focusing on the detailed adjustment of the interior pore structure and components of each layer, and establishing a combined platform for EM wave absorption/shielding and thermal management. Overall, this porous composite strategy offers a pathway toward structurally integrated, lightweight composites that simultaneously ensure electromagnetic compatibility and thermal reliability in the aircraft and electronic systems.

Speaker

Dr Yunfei Yang is a Postdoctoral Fellow in the Department of Aeronautical and Aviation Engineering, The Hong Kong Polytechnic University. He obtained the Bachelor's degree in Materials Physics from China University of Petroleum (East China) in 2018 and the PhD degree in Materials Science and Engineering from Shandong University in 2023. His research focuses on lightweight porous composites for electromagnetic wave absorption and interference shielding, and thermal management.