Transforming Low-Value Wood Waste into Sustainable, High-Value, High-Performance Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Materials

The rapid advancement of electronic and communication technologies has heightened the complexity of electromagnetic environments, increasing the risk of device malfunctions and health hazards.

This reality highlights the crucial need for effective electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials to protect human health and ensure reliable operation of sensitive electronics.

Alongside the swift pace of technological innovation and frequent product updates, there is a growing global demand for EMI shielding materials, which in turn exacerbates electronic waste and environmental challenges.

In response, government regulations, such as E.U. directives on waste from electrical and electronic equipment, have also been implemented, aim to improve the recycling rates of electronic products for enhanced sustainability.

Thus, developing green, sustainable EMI shielding materials from renewable resources is essential.Wood, being a renewable and abundant resource, offers a viable solution. In the E.U., about 50.2 million tons of wood waste are produced annually, with only a small fraction recycled. Similar issues exist globally, with only 17% of wood waste recycled in the U.S. in 2018.

Recycling wood waste into high-value products can not only help mitigate environmental concerns but also offer substantial economic benefits.Herein, we propose utilizing abundant, low-value, pulverized wood waste combined with 2D MXenes to produce high-value functional nanocomposite inks for additive manufacturing of EMI shields.

By overcoming technical challenges including ink formulation, rheology adjustment, manufacturing accuracy optimization, and performance enhancement, this approach will allow users to create custom, high-efficiency EMI shielding solutions that precisely meet their specific needs with minimum material wastes and reduced prototyping costs, and enhance the overall sustainability of electronics for industrial applications.