Tiny Titanium Dots: A Big Shield Against Electromagnetic Waves
Wednesday, January 8, 2025
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Have you ever wondered how tiny particles can protect us from electronic interference? Titanium disulfide quantum dots, or TiS₂QDs, are tiny but mighty. These dots have unique electronic and optical properties, making them super interesting for research. But how effective are they as shields against electromagnetic interference (EMI)? It depends on things like their size, shape, and how well they disperse.
In a recent study, scientists found a way to make these dots even better. They used a process called ultrasound-assisted liquid phase processing to create dots that are really small (about 3. 1 nanometers) and uniformly spread out (around 1. 5 nanometers). These dots also have a special bandgap that changes from indirect to direct (from 0. 09 eV in bulk to 0. 69 eV in a monolayer) and a big Stokes shift (about 93 nanometers). Plus, they have a larger surface area with multiple active interfaces.
So, what did they do with these super dots? They combined them with carbon nanotubes (CNTs) to make an aerogel with amazing EMI shielding powers. This aerogel, called C-TiS₂, can block electromagnetic radiation in the microwave X-band (8-12. 4 GHz) by 51. 9 decibels. That's thanks to its porous and lightweight structure.
Imagine using this aerogel in civilian and military fields to protect against electromagnetic waves. It's like having a tiny, powerful shield against all that electronic noise.