The Influence of Electroless-Silver Coated Cenosphere Powders on the Electromagnetic Shielding Interference Effectiveness and Mechanical Properties of the Silicone Rubber

Silver plating cenosphere powders were developed by electroless plating method. After being mixed with silver plating cenosphere powders and curing agent, silicone rubber composites was obtained. The surface morphology, microstructure and cross-section of Ag-coated cenosphere powders and composites were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and X-ray diffraction (XRD). The influence of different concentration of Ag-coated cenosphere powders on the conductivity, electromagnetic shielding interference effectiveness and mechanical properties of the silicone rubber was discussed from the point of view of condition of Ag-coated cenosphere powders and silicone rubber. The results showed that the smooth and compact silver coating was deposited on the surface of cenosphere powders. The Ag-coated cenosphere powders possessed good oxidation resistance and enough strength to resist being crushed during the preparation of composites. The adhension between the silver film and cenosphere powders was good. There existed the extreme shielding effectiveness (SE) of silicone rubber composites filled with Ag-coated cenosphere powders. The electrical conductivity no longer plays an important role in enhancing the SE of composites when the SE of composites reaches the extremum. When the content of the Ag-coated cenosphere powders was 180 parts per hundred of rubber (phr), the SE values of composites were typically above 80 dB and close to the extremum across the tested frequency range from 2.6 GHz to 3.95 GHz. And the mechanical properties of composites with 180 phr were not degraded obviously.