Interlocking Strategy Confined in Multifunctional Rubber-Based Composites for Boosting Anti-Corrosion and Electromagnetic Interference Shielding

Abstract

Addressing the corrosion issues arising from incorporating highly conductive fillers into the rubber matrix remains a significant challenge, particularly in the harsh marine corrosion environment and under the threat of early warning radar detection. Inspired by the principles of interface engineering in composites, an interlocking strategy for regulating the multiple interfacial interactions (including dipole-dipole, electrostatic and chemical bonding) between methyl vinyl silicone rubber (VMQ) and metal nanoparticles is proposed. This modification facilitates molecular conformational transformation and ordering within the VMQ-based composite, thereby inducing stable dipole distribution of silicone rubber at the composite interface. Consequently, this significantly enhanced the crosslinking degree of rubber vulcanization and interfacial adhesion between the filler and matrix. Compared to conventional rubber-based composites, the engineered VMQ/Ag@Al/ MWCNTs composite maintained an electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness exceeding 100 dB after a 240-hour copper accelerated salt spray (CASS) test. Furthermore, the modified rubber matrix composite exhibits a breaking strength of 2.5 MPa and an elongation at break of 120%, significantly higher than that of pure silicone rubber with a breaking strength of only 0.43 MPa. Additionally, the VMQ/Ag@Al/MWCNTs composite avoids a series of issues, including complex molecular orientation, interface instability, and performance degradation due to structural relaxation following 240-hour post-treatments such as ultraviolet aging, and high temperature and humidity. The findings offer a novel approach for multi-scale interface control, enhancing the performance and functional applications of rubber matrix composites.

Keywords: Multifunctional conductive rubber, Interlocking strategy, Anti-corrosion, EMI shielding, Mechanical property