Ultra-thin freestanding graphene films for efficient thermal insulation and electromagnetic interference shielding

The preparation of freestanding graphene films by convenient and environmentally friendly preparation methods is still the focus of attention in various industrial fields. Here, we first select electrical conductivity, yield and defectivity as evaluation indicators and systematically explore the factors affecting the preparation of high-performance graphene by electrochemical exfoliation, then further post-process it under volume-limited conditions by microwave reduction. Finally, we obtained a self-supporting graphene film with an irregular interlayer structure but excellent performance. It is found that the electrolyte is ammonium sulfate, the concentration is 0.2 M, the voltage is 8 V, and the pH is 11, which were the optimal conditions for preparing low-oxidation graphene. The square resistance of the EG was 1.6 Ω sq(−1), and the yield could be 65%. In addition, electrical conductivity and joule heat were significantly improved after microwave post-processing, especially its electromagnetic shielding performance with a shielding coefficient of 53 dB able to be achieved. At the same time, the thermal conductivity is as low as 0.05 W m(−1) K(−1). The mechanism for the improvement of electromagnetic shielding performance is that (1) microwave reduction effectively enhances the conductivity of the graphene sheet overlapping network; (2) the gas generated by the instantaneous high temperature causes a large number of void structures between the graphene layers, and the irregular interlayer stacking structure makes the reflective surface more disordered, thereby prolonging the reflection path of electromagnetic waves among layers. In summary, this simple and environmentally friendly preparation strategy has good practical application prospects for graphene film products in flexible wearables, intelligent electronic devices, and electromagnetic wave protection.