Wedesday, July 02, 2025 in Dupuis Hall RM 217 @ 2:30pm
Advanced Soft Electromagnetic Shields
Electronic and electrical devices inherently emit electromagnetic waves due to the flow of electric current through their circuits, giving rise to a phenomenon known as electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI can disrupt the proper functioning of the emitting device or interfere with nearby electronics, often leading to malfunctions. As sensitive electronics become increasingly prevalent across sectors such as consumer electronics, automotive, aerospace, and defense—and as electromagnetic regulations grow ever more stringent—the demand for effective EMI shielding has become a critical challenge. Traditionally, conductive materials such as metals have been the primary choice for EMI shielding. Although widely used, compliance issues and environmental concerns around the disposal, corrosion, recyclability, delamination, and complex geometries, coupled with their high weight and cost, necessitate the development of versatile substitute materials. Additionally, metal-based shields predominantly work by reflecting electromagnetic waves, which can cause secondary electromagnetic pollution. In this context, this research presentation focuses on developing advanced soft electromagnetic shields—specifically, polymer nanocomposites and aerogels—fabricated using cutting-edge techniques such as fused deposition modeling (FDM) 3D printing, direct ink writing (DIW) 3D printing, and liquid-in-liquid printing. These soft shields offer numerous advantages: they are lightweight, easily processable, highly design-flexible, and capable of delivering superior EMI shielding performance. Most importantly, they can be engineered to show absorption mechanisms, effectively addressing the issue of secondary electromagnetic pollution associated with conventional metal-based shields.
Biography: Dr. Mohammad Arjmand is recognized as a dedicated researcher in the fields of nanotechnology and polymer engineering. His impact can be seen through his roles at the University of British Columbia (UBC) as a faculty member, a Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials and Polymer Engineering, an Inductee of the Royal Society of Canada, and the Lead of the Plastic Recycling Research Cluster. Dr. Arjmand's research area is focused on the synthesis of multifunctional nanomaterials and the development of their polymer nanocomposites and assemblies. During his tenure at UBC (since July 2018), Dr. Arjmand has successfully secured approximately $14.3 million research grants with 69 successful proposals, enabling him to establish the Nanomaterials and Polymer Nanocomposites Laboratory (NPNL). NPNL is currently hosting 23 HQP, including 6 postdoctoral fellows, 1 research associate, 11 PhD, 1 MASc, and 4 BASc students. NPNL also has 41 alumni, including 5 Research Engineers/Assistants/Technicians, 7 postdoctoral fellows, and 5 (+5 visiting) PhD, 8 MASc, 1 MEng, and 10 BASc students. During his academic career, Dr. Arjmand has been honored with numerous awards and recognitions, such as UBC’s Okanagan Campus Researcher of Year (2025), Charles A. McDowell Award for Excellence in Research at UBC (2025), Morand Lambla Award from Polymer Processing Society (2025), Elected Member of College of Royal Society of Canada (2024), Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering Lectureship Award (2024), Emerging Materials Chemistry Investigator from Canadian Society of Chemistry (2024), Journal of Nanoscale Emerging Investigator (2024), Journal of Materials Chemistry Emerging Investigator (2023), Killam Faculty Research Prize from UBC (2023), Canadian Society of Chemical Engineering (CSChE) Innovation Award (2022), Polymeric Materials: Science and Engineering (PMSE) Young Investigator Award from American Chemical Society (2022), Faculty Emerging Academic Award (2022) and Faculty Research Excellence Award (2021) in the School of Engineering at UBC, Polymer Processing Society (PPS) Early Career Award (2021), and Canada Research Chair in Advanced Materials and Polymer Engineering (2019).
Google Scholar: https://scholar.google.com/citations?user=HTU9JxMAAAAJ&hl=en
Research Website: arjmandlab.ca