Thin and flexible multilayer carbon/silicon carbide composite films with extraordinary electromagnetic shielding performance and ablative resistance

High-strength, flexible, high-temperature resistant, and lightweight electromagnetic shielding materials are in urgent demand in the aerospace and electronic industries. In this work, we fabricated thin and flexible multilayer carbon nanotube film (CNT f ) toughened silicon carbide (SiC) composite films using dip-coating and hot-pressing technology with polycarbosilane/allyl phenolic resin (PCS/APR) as ceramic precursors. CNT f provides flexibility, mechanical strength, and electromagnetic shielding properties. Ceramic precursors act as the binder between CNT f layers during the hot-pressing and high-temperature treatment process, endowing composite films with improved mechanical properties, electromagnetic shielding performance, and ablative resistance. The 5-layer-CNT f composite films, with a thickness of around 50 μm, possess high tensile strength (152 MPa), extraordinary electromagnetic shielding effectiveness (73 dB), and excellent ablative resistance. The butane torch burning test demonstrates that the composite film retains its mechanical integrity after 90 s of burning test. This study develops a facile method to fabricate thin and flexible CNT f /SiC composite films, which may have potential applications for high-temperature electromagnetic shielding materials.