Homologous interface constructed via covalent anchoring of P-CNPs onto C-Ti3C2Tx for enhanced EMI shielding and mechanical synergy in CFRPs

Homologous interfacial engineering enables atomic anchoring of P-CNPs onto C-Ti 3 C 2 T x via Ti-O-C covalent bonds. • Hierarchical architecture acts as wave confinement walls, inducing Maxwell-Wagner polarization and extended dissipation paths. • EMI SE reaches 75.44 dB at 4 wt% loading with absorption as the dominant shielding mechanism. • Composite achieves 215.4 MPa tensile strength, overcoming conductivity–mechanical integrity trade-off. Achieving a synergistic balance between electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and mechanical robustness in carbon fiber-reinforced polymers (CFRPs) remains a fundamental challenge due to the long-standing trade-off between electrical conductivity and mechanical integrity. Here, we report a homologous interfacial reinforcement strategy to engineer a hierarchical architecture via the atomic-scale anchoring of C-Ti 3 C 2 T X and polyimide/polydopamine-derived carbon nanoparticles (P-CNPs). The formation of Ti-O-C covalent bonds yields a continuous hybrid network that effectively suppresses MXene restacking. This hierarchical configuration acts as electromagnetic-wave confinement walls, inducing pronounced Maxwell-Wagner polarization and extending energy-dissipation pathways through multiple internal reflections. The composite achieves a high EMI shielding effectiveness (SE) of 75.44 dB at a low filler loading of 4 wt%, while maintaining an excellent tensile strength of 215.4 MPa. The homologous interfacial engineering strategy presented here offers a transformative route for simultaneously integrating mechanical robustness with absorption-enhanced EMI functionality, providing new design insights for integrated materials in aerospace and microelectronics. Download: Download high-res image (324KB) Download: Download full-size image