Gallium-infused carbon fiber/EVA multilayer composites with sensing, self-healing, and electromagnetic attenuation capabilities

Cai J, Liu J, Weng H, Liu S, Zhu D, Yang G, Liu J, Zhou L, Qu M (2025)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2025

Journal

Composites Science and Technology Elsevier

Book Volume: 272

Article Number: 111398

DOI: 10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111398

Abstract

In this study, a multilayer flexible composite membrane (EVA/Ga@CF) was developed by constructing a stable liquid metal conductive network on continuous carbon fiber fabrics. Mechanical testing revealed that EVA/Ga@CF achieved a tensile strength of 2.1 GPa and a Young's modulus of 12.6 GPa, confirming the critical role of liquid gallium in interfacial bridging and stress transfer. Self-healing evaluation showed that the water contact angle at scratched regions returned to its initial value within 120 s subjected to electrical stimulation. Electromagnetic performance tests indicated that EVA/Ga@CF maintained a total shielding effectiveness (SE-T) of approximately 35 dB across the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz), achieving superior efficiency in both thickness-normalized and metal content-normalized metrics. Furthermore, the introduction of the continuous liquid gallium network significantly enhanced dielectric polarization and electromagnetic wave attenuation capabilities. Overall, this work proposes a new strategy for co-engineering liquid metals and high-strength carbon fiber frameworks, highlighting their potential for applications in high-performance flexible electronics and robotic exoskeleton systems.

Authors with CRIS profile

Guanda Yang Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Polymerwerkstoffe) (LSP)

Involved external institutions

Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University CN China (CN) Guangzhou Haitian Plastic Co., Ltd CN China (CN) South China University of Technology (SCUT) / 华南理工大学 CN China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Cai, J., Liu, J., Weng, H., Liu, S., Zhu, D., Yang, G.,... Qu, M. (2025). Gallium-infused carbon fiber/EVA multilayer composites with sensing, self-healing, and electromagnetic attenuation capabilities. Composites Science and Technology, 272. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compscitech.2025.111398

MLA:

Cai, Jinfeng, et al. "Gallium-infused carbon fiber/EVA multilayer composites with sensing, self-healing, and electromagnetic attenuation capabilities." Composites Science and Technology 272 (2025).

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