Ag@PANI/TeO2 ternary hybrid nanocomposites; Enhanced transport properties and electromagnetic interference shielding performance

To enhance AC conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding in high-frequency electronic applications, a ternary Ag@PANI/TeO2 nanocomposite has been prepared. This study finds its transport behavior and the shielding effectiveness (SE) by varying TeO2 NPs (2%, 4%, 6%, 8%, and 10% w/w) concentrations. Green tea extract is used here as a reducing and stabilizing agent for the synthesis of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) from Ag + ions. Comprehensive characterization techniques were used such as FTIR, XRD, SEM and EDX analyses. FTIR spectra confirm the successful incorporation of Ag, TeO2, and PANI through characteristic peaks, while XRD analysis highlights the crystalline nature of the composite. SEM analysis revealed the surface morphology of the composites, and EDX provided the corresponding elemental composition. AC conductivity was measured by a frequency range of 20 to 10⁷ Hz. The composite materials with 2%, 4%, 6%, and 10% TeO2 NPs exhibit relatively stable conductivity (10⁻2 to 10⁶ Hz) before a sharp increase, indicating characteristics of disordered materials. The 8% TeO2 NPs composite, however, maintains stable conductivity up to 105 Hz before a rapid rise between 105 and 10⁷ Hz, reaching 10⁻2, showing improved conductivity over the binary Ag-PANI system (~ 10⁻5). EMI shielding effectiveness in the S-band (2–3 GHz) demonstrates significant shielding efficiency (− 5 to − 9 dB), attributed to the synergistic interaction of phytochemicals coated AgNPs, PANI, and TeO2 NPs, which enhance electrical conductivity and electromagnetic wave dissipation. Furthermore, physical phenomena such as binding and agglomeration during in-situ polymerization, contributing to EM absorption and scattering, are thoroughly discussed. The results show that the optimized Ag@PANI/TeO2 composite offers great potential for use as an effective EMI shielding material in advanced electronic and communication technologies.