Liquid metal modified hexagonal boron nitride flakes for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption and thermal management

The rapid advancement of fifth-generation (5G) communication and high-power electronic devices has revolutionized modern life, yet it also brings about dual challenges of electromagnetic wave (EMW) pollution and heat accumulation, which severely threaten the stability and service life of integrated components. While hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) is a promising candidate for thermal management due to its high thermal conductivity and chemical stability, its inherent electrical insulation and chemical inertness significantly limit its ability to absorb EMWs. Achieving simultaneous high-efficiency EMW absorption and thermal conductivity in a single BN-based composite remains a significant challenge, as traditional modification methods often involve complex processes or harsh chemicals.

Recently, a research team led by Yuanlie Yu from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, developed a simple and scalable mechanochemical strategy to modify hexagonal boron nitride flakes (BNFs) using liquid metal (LM). This innovative approach utilizes the unique fluidic deformability of liquid metal to effectively activate the inert surface of BNFs, forming coordination interactions that generate abundant interfacial polarization centers. Consequently, the optimized H-BNF@LM composites exhibit remarkable EMW absorption performance, achieving a minimum reflection loss of -48.4 dB and a broad effective absorption bandwidth of 5.76 GHz.

To demonstrate practical application potential, the team integrated these composites into an aramid nanofiber (ANF) matrix to create flexible films. The H-BNF@LM/ANF films establish continuous thermal conduction networks, reaching a thermal conductivity of 0.54 W·m^-1K^-1, which is nearly five times higher than that of pure ANF films. Beyond these core functions, the composite films demonstrate excellent flexibility and remarkable flame retardancy, ensuring reliability even in extreme environments. This work provides an efficient and scalable route for designing next generation multifunctional composites.

The team published their work in Journal of Advanced Ceramics on November 14, 2025.

“In this study, we develope a scalable mechanochemical activation strategy in which liquid metal is directly used to modify hexagonal boron nitride flakes, avoiding corrosive solvents and multi-step reactions required in conventional chemical functionalization,” said Professor Yuanlie Yu from the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences. “The unique BNF@LM heterointerface greatly enhances dielectric polarization loss while preserving the intrinsic high thermal conductivity of h-BN, enabling efficient electromagnetic wave attenuation and rapid heat dissipation. When incorporated into the ANF matrix, the modified BNF@LM further forms continuous thermal pathways, significantly improving the thermal management and flame-retardant performance of the composite film.”

Discussing the broader impact of this work, Professor Yu emphasized the urgent need for multifunctional integrated materials in highly compact electronic equipment. “Modern flexible electronics demand materials capable of simultaneously mitigating electromagnetic wave interference and thermal accumulation. Our LM-modified BN offers a simple and scalable route to achieve strong electromagnetic wave attenuation, efficient heat conduction, and reliable flame resistance within a single system,” he said. “Our ultimate goal is to bridge fundamental interface engineering with practical implementation, enabling multifunctional protection solutions.”

Other contributors include Yibing Lin, Kaixuan Yu and Haoyu Deng from Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences; Bo Zhong from Harbin Institute of Technology at Weihai; Congying Ma and Jilin Wang from Guilin University of Technology.

This work was supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (52372098), the Aeronautical Science Foundation of China (2024Z0550N8002) and Taishan Scholars Foundation of Shandong (Tsqnz20230628).

About Author

Yuanlie Yu is a professor at the Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Chinese Academy of Sciences, specializing in the design, fabrication and application of hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) based materials. His research focuses on structural engineering and scalable preparation of h-BN based materials for advanced lubrication, thermal management, and surface protection. He has published over 80 SCI papers in journals such as Prog. Mater. Sci., Adv. Funct. Mater.， J. Adv. Ceram.，Compos. Part B，Chem. Eng. J.

About Journal of Advanced Ceramics

Journal of Advanced Ceramics (JAC) is an international academic journal that presents the state-of-the-art results of theoretical and experimental studies on the processing, structure, and properties of advanced ceramics and ceramic-based composites. JAC is Fully Open Access, monthly published by Tsinghua University Press, and exclusively available via SciOpen. JAC’s 2024 IF is 16.6, ranking in Top 1 (1/33, Q1) among all journals in “Materials Science, Ceramics” category, and its 2024 CiteScore is 25.9 (5/130) in Scopus database. ResearchGate homepage: https://www.researchgate.net/journal/Journal-of-Advanced-Ceramics-2227-8508