Improved oxidation resistance and electromagnetic interference shielding performance of C/C composites coated by SiC/Ti₃AlC₂ laminated coating

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials have garnered significant attention due to their critical role in mitigating electromagnetic pollution. Achieving efficient EMI shielding under some extreme environments, such as high-temperature oxidation and thermal impact, remains a huge challenge. Herein, we elaborately designed and fabricated SiC/Ti₃AlC₂ laminated coatings on C/C composites via chemical vapor deposition and slurry painting methods. The microstructure, mechanical properties, oxidation resistance and EMI shielding effectiveness of the laminated SiC/Ti₃AlC₂ coated C/C samples were systematically investigated. Benefiting from the unique laminated structure of the coating and the high damage tolerance and good toughness of Ti₃AlC₂, the as-prepared coating exhibited improved toughness (40 % higher than that of the single SiC coating) and oxidation resistance (0.64 % weight loss after oxidation at 1500 °C for 30 h). Meanwhile, the laminated SiC/Ti₃AlC₂ coated C/C samples exhibited a significant enhancement in EMI shielding effectiveness, achieving an average EMI shielding effectiveness of 35.88 dB in the X-band frequency range. Furthermore, these samples maintained 99 % of their shielding effectiveness even after oxidation at 1500 °C for 30 h. This work provides a novel design strategy for developing high-performance EMI shielding materials under extreme conditions.