A Tri-Layer Structural Film Containing Nickel Nanocoating for Electromagnetic Transmittance and Joule Heating

In the realm of military applications, the effective management of ice accumulation on strategic equipment without compromising the integrity of the electromagnetic signal transmission is a perennial challenge. To confront this issue, a revolutionary trilayered material composite known as MPE (metal-polyimide-electric heating layer) has been developed, demonstrating a sophisticated balance between deicing functionality and electromagnetic transparency. The MPE composite is ingeniously architected in a trilayer configuration, comprising a frequency-selective wave-transmissive stratum, an interjacent insulating dielectric interlayer, and an electric heating layer. The former is the result of a pioneering surface grafting modality of keratin, subsequently metallized with a nickel (Ni) coat via a chemical plating technique, which concurrently imparts the composite with a temperature-sensitivity range between −10 and 80 °C. The latter is formulated from a cyanate ester (CE) resin with organic conductive fillers, endowing the material with a high thermal threshold of up to 220 °C. Experimental evaluations of the MPE material have yielded a remarkable 88% transmissivity at the designated resonant frequency, a significant improvement over traditional graphene heating layer. This high level of performance, combined with the material’s inherent deicing properties and the capacity for remote control via integrated sensing technology, positions the MPE as a substantial breakthrough for military operations.