Open Access
ARTICLE
Developing a Cost-Effective Composite Based on Electroless Nickel-Coated Cellulose Fibres for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding
P. Sittisart1,*, M.M. Hyland1, M.A. Hodgson1, C. Nguyen2, A. Fernyhough3
1
Department of Chemical and Material Engineering, University of Auckland, Level 8, Tower Block, Faculty of Engineering Building, 20
Symonds Street, Auckland, New Zealand
2
Product Accelerator, University of Aukland, Level 2, Rooms 221-225, Building 903, 262-366 Khyber Pass, Auckland, New Zealand
3
Scion, 49 Sala Street, Rotorua, New Zealand
* Corresponding Author:
Journal of Renewable Materials 2014, 2(4), 264-269. https://doi.org/10.7569/JRM.2014.634123
Received 20 August 2014; Accepted 10 November 2014;
Abstract
A series of composites based on polypropylene with different loadings of nickel-coated cellulose fi bres
(NCCF) were fabricated with the aim to create a composite suitable for EMI shielding and/or electrostatic
discharge application. Various properties such as EMI shielding effectiveness, surface resistivity, volume
resistivity and fl exural strength were characterised according to ASTM standard. Both surface and volume
resistivity suggested that the electrical conductivity of NCCF was not high enough and the composite
remains electrically non-conducting up to 40 wt% loading of NCCF. However, nickel particles were still able
to shield electromagnetic radiation regardless of their connectivity and conductivity. This was reinforced
by EMI shielding measurement which showed that EMI shielding effectiveness of 6.5 dB was obtained by
composite containing 40 wt% NCCF. Mechanical property characterisation showed that the NCCF composites
have higher fl exural strength than pure polypropylene. This is a positive effect as NCCF is now acting
as a conducting reinforcing material rather than simply a conducting fi ller. Furthermore, the composites
maintained approximately similar fl exural strength regardless of the loading of NCCF.
Keywords
Cite This Article
Sittisart, P., Hyland, M., Hodgson, M., Nguyen, C., Fernyhough, A. (2014). Developing a Cost-Effective Composite Based on Electroless Nickel-Coated Cellulose Fibres for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding.
Journal of Renewable Materials, 2(4), 264–269.