Recently, Prof. Zhang Jiuyang’s research team from the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SEU, published a research paper titled “Cohering Particles via
Weak Electromagnetic Waves for Highly Conductive Polymer Composites” in Nature Communications, an internationally renowned journal. Drawing inspiration from
the classical 19th-century Hertz electromagnetic experiments and Marconi’s electromagnetic phenomena, this study innovatively proposes a new strategy that utilizes
low-energy electromagnetic waves to optimize the conductive network in composite materials, thereby significantly enhancing their electrical conductivity. Conductive
polymer composites are critical materials in national economy sectors such as electrical engineering, consumer electronics, and electronic devices, etc. Traditional
methods often require filling with expensive conductive fillers exceeding 75 wt% to achieve high conductivity, leading to high costs and complex composite processes.
Although prior research has attempted to reduce filler usage, its practical applications still face numerous limitations.
Inspired by the Hertz electromagnetic experiments in 1987 and the principles of the first-generation electromagnetic wave detectors invented by Marconi and Popov in 1895,
Prof. Zhang’s team introduced these classic electromagnetic phenomena into polymer composite material systems. The research utilizes low-energy electromagnetic waves
to remotely and rapidly induce the breakdown of surface oxides between conductive filler particles. By leveraging the generated Joule heat, microscopic welding between
particles is achieved, effectively optimizing the internal conductive network of composite materials. This approach can successfully improve the electrical conductivity of the
composite by 3–4 orders of magnitude.
Experimental results show that flexible composites based on this strategy can achieve an instantaneous response (0.34 microseconds) under electromagnetic waves with
power as low as 10?? mW. The resistance drops significantly from 50 MΩ to 1 kΩ, completing a rapid transition from insulator to conductor. This process exhibits stable
performance and can be repeated over ten thousand times. Additionally, the team proposed a combined “electromagnetic waves + transient voltage” strategy to permanently
lock the optimized conductive network within the composite material, significantly reducing the conductive percolation threshold. For instance, the threshold for steel fibers
was reduced from 45 wt% to 15 wt%, and a silver-resin composite with a conductivity as high as 1.3×10? S/m was successfully prepared, outperforming most commercial
conductive silver pastes. This technology has broad applicability, being applicable to various conductive fillers such as carbon materials and metals, as well as most common
polymer systems. It provides a novel and viable pathway for developing high-performance, low-cost conductive composite materials.
The first author of the paper is doctoral student Wang Xiaohan, with Prof. Zhang Jiuyang as the sole corresponding author. SEU is the primary corresponding institution.
Several related international and domestic patents have been granted. In this work, Prof. Wu Peiwen from the School of Physics, SEU, provided theoretical analysis support.
This research was funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China, the Jiangsu Natural Science Foundation, and other funding sources.
Source: School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, SEU
Translated by: Melody Zhang
Proofread by: Gao Min
Edited by: Li XInchang
