MXene interface-engineered liquid metal-diamond synergy: Enhanced 3D thermal/electromagnetic interference shielding network

Liquid metal (LM)-microdiamond (MD) composites are promising candidates for meeting 5 G devices’ requirements of high thermal conductivity (TC) and excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. However, the poor wettability between LM and MD causes strong electron and phonon scattering at the interface, severely restricting their application. In this study, two-dimensional (2D) MXene was innovatively introduced as an interfacial layer into the MD-LM system via forming a robust wetting interface with the LM matrix, which optimized the interfacial bonding strength and the porosity. These improvements increased the composite’s TC to 45.78 W/m‧K and its EMI shielding performance to 70 dB. A competitive "trade-off" relationship exists between MXene thickness and the composite’s structure and properties, which was key to property regulation. This trade-off effect, associated with interfacial optimization and interlayer thickness, provides a theoretical basis for applying 2D materials in composite modification.