A study of electromagnetic shielding effectiveness of metallized polymeric fabrics

This study examined the properties of metallized polymeric fabrics to determine those responsible for reducing EM (electromagnetic) energy when incorporated into an epoxy-fiberglass composite structure. The ability of metallized polymeric fabrics to reduce EM energy when used as a means of electrical conductivity across a simple overlap joint was also investigated. The EM shielding evaluation tests were performed between 8 and 12 GHz.; The study demonstrated that the electrically conductive network of metallized fabrics was primarily determined by the geometric configuration of the base fabric. Mesh size, or air permeability, was the primary indicator of EM shielding effectiveness. EM shielding effectiveness was not compromised by placing the electrically conductive layer in the mid-plane of a structural fiber-reinforced lamination. The metallic conductor applied to the polymeric fiber did not influence EM shielding effectiveness. The metallized fabrics provided average EM shielding effectiveness, but these values were lower than values for similar metallized fabrics. The metallized fabrics provided EM shielding effectiveness values similar to metal filled polymeric systems, such as electrically conductive paints, metal or fillers and metal-coated insulators. The joint configurations tested indicated that direct electron transfer occurred between mated metallized fabrics with and without the aid of an electrically conductive interface.