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Abstract_Emmanouel KOUDOUMAS and Mirela Petruta SUCHEA_RE:ZnO-graphene composite nanostructured microstructures: engineering and applications
This plenary lecture will present recent progress in the engineering of three-dimensional (3D) rare-earth-doped ZnO (RE:ZnO)–graphene composite nanostructured microstructures, designed as versatile and next-generation EMI shielding systems in PNRR CF23 project. By integrating rare-earth elements (La, Er, Sm) into the ZnO lattice, we strategically tailor its electronic structure and defect chemistry, while graphene nanoplatelets provide a highly conductive, percolating network that controls charge transport and electromagnetic dissipation. A key focus of this work lies in microstructure engineering through scalable electrospinning–calcination approaches, enabling the formation of hierarchical, porous, and interconnected architectures with controlled structure and morphology. These complex structures facilitate synergistic interactions between dielectric polarization and conductive loss mechanisms, promoting efficient absorption-dominated EMI shielding. Through comprehensive structural and spectroscopic investigations (XRD, FE-SEM/EDX, Raman, UV–Vis, and impedance spectroscopy), we establish the relationships between dopant chemistry, microstrain, carrier dynamics, and shielding performance in the X-band frequency regime. The optimized composites exhibit shielding effectiveness values approaching 30 dB, with absorption as the predominant attenuation pathway for very thin materils layers in a large frequencies range.
Beyond shielding, these materials demonstrate multifunctional potential relevant to nanobiosensors, gas sensors, and optoelectronic integration as well as photcatalysts for enivinronmental and health applications.
This work highlights the critical role of nanoscale design and hierarchical structuring in developing multifunctional materials and positions RE:ZnO–graphene composites as promising candidates for applications spanning next-generation electronics, aerospace, defense, and emerging bio-integrated technologies.
Fig. 1. Graphene concentration effect on morphology. SEM images at 1um scale.
Acknowledgement
This research was partially supported by PNRR/2022/C9/MCID/I8CF23/14 11 2022 contract 760101/23.05.2023 financed by the Ministry of Research, Innovation and Digitalization in Development of a program to attract highly specialized human resources from abroad in research, development, and innovation activities within the – PNRR-III-C9-2022 - I8 PNRR/2022/Component 9/investment 8 and partially supported by Ministry of Education and Scientific Research through National Nucleu Programme μNanoEl, project code PN 2307, 8N/03.01.2023.