ISSN print edition: 0366-6352 ISSN electronic edition: 1336-9075 Registr. No.: MK SR 9/7 Published monthly

Development and characterization of biocarbon/hennep microfiber reinforced PVA composite laminate for electromagnetic interference shielding applications

Amutha Jeevakumari S. A., G. Mahendran, G. Arul Jothi, and S. Somasundaram

School of Computer Science and Engineering, Vellore Institute of Technology, Chennai, India

E-mail: amutha.Jeevakumari@vit.ac.in

Received: 13 April 2026  Accepted: 4 May 2026

Abstract:

The present study investigates the development and electromagnetic shielding performance of environmentally sustainable PVA-based hybrid composites reinforced with hennep microfibres and biocarbon particles. Composite films were fabricated by incorporating a constant volume fraction of hennep microfibre with varying biocarbon particle contents in a PVA matrix. The mechanical behaviour, dielectric characteristics, and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding effectiveness of the composites were systematically evaluated. Mechanical testing revealed a significant improvement in tensile strength from approximately 32 MPa for neat PVA (F1) to nearly 50 MPa for the F5 composite, indicating about 56% enhancement due to improved stress transfer and reinforcement effects. Tear resistance also increased from ~ 18 N to ~ 31 N, while hardness improved from 62 Shore D to about 82 Shore D, confirming the strengthening role of the hybrid fillers. Dielectric studies in the frequency range of 1–5 GHz demonstrated a gradual increase in dielectric constant from 2.6 to 4.4, representing nearly 69% improvement with increasing biocarbon content. Correspondingly, dielectric loss increased from 0.03 to approximately 0.09, indicating enhanced polarization and energy dissipation mechanisms. The EMI shielding results revealed a substantial improvement in total shielding effectiveness, increasing from ~ 6 dB for the neat PVA matrix to nearly 30 dB for the F5 composite, corresponding to nearly 300–350% improvement. Absorption was identified as the dominant shielding mechanism, supported by strong dielectric polarization and conductive loss within the composite structure. The synergistic interaction between hennep microfibres and biocarbon particles significantly enhances both mechanical integrity and electromagnetic attenuation. These findings demonstrate that the developed hybrid composites possess strong potential for microwave absorption materials, electromagnetic interference shielding components, lightweight electronic housings, telecommunication devices, and sustainable protective materials for aerospace and electronic packaging applications.

Keywords: PVA composites; Hennep microfibre; Biocarbon particles; Hybrid biocomposites; Dielectric properties; Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding; Microwave absorption; Sustainable materials

Full paper is available at www.springerlink.com.

DOI: 10.1007/s11696-026-05012-z

Chemical Papers 80 (9) 10381–10394 (2026)