Numerical study of the electromagnetic shielding characteristics of cnt/epoxy film and aluminum honeycomb structures

Abstract

This study undertakes a performance evaluation and analysis of the electromagnetic shielding behavior of CNT/epoxy films and aluminum honeycomb structures. Nowadays, electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding has raised significant interests in the construction material field with a rapid growth of electronic equipment. Development of electromagnetic wave shielding material is essential to use precision instruments without EMI. Therefore, analysis and prediction for the shielding effectiveness and shielding mechanism of several composite materials were performed via simulation tool in this study. This study is divided into two sections; one is a simulation study on CNT/epoxy film-coated mortars and the other is a study of aluminum honeycomb structures. First, appropriate material properties for CNT/epoxy film and mortar are set in reference to the experimentally measured data at the x-band. A simulation model reflecting the real waveguide measurement standards and the proper boundary conditions and port systems is then designated. Without limitations arising from experiments, a wide range of frequencies and various thicknesses of the CNT/epoxy films were taken into account in a simulation study. After a numerical analysis of the shielding effectiveness of CNT/epoxy films of various thicknesses, the most effective film thickness at the x-band was predicted. Changes in the shielding effectiveness in damaged cases while considering the detachment between the CNT/epoxy film and the mortar were assessed. Furthermore, a mesh-sensitivity study was conducted. A simulation model of an aluminum honeycomb structure was established in a manner similar to that of the CNT/epoxy film-coated mortar. With the model, electromagnetic shielding characteristics at the ultra-high frequency range (30MHz-3GHz) were determined and compared with the results from an infinitely repeated unit cell model. To verify the model, scattering parameters of honeycomb structures depending on the...