With the escalating prevalence of electromagnetic radiation pollution, flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials hold immense potential for widespread application. Carbonized fabric possesses notable advantages such as flexibility, excellent electrical conductivity, and chemical stability. However, its traditional preparation process is characterized by high energy consumption, intricate atmospheric conditions, and prolonged duration. This study introduces a novel approach of incorporating intumescent flame retardant (IFR) into cotton fabric, aiming to facilitate rapid carbonization in an air atmosphere. Remarkably, this innovative approach yields an outstanding total EMI shielding effectiveness (SET) of 17.55 dB within a mere 5 min carbonization process at 900 °C under ambient air conditions. Moreover, in order to enhance the shielding effect, we conducted in-situ growth of polypyrrole (PPy) on the prepared carbonized fabric. The deposition time of 120 min resulted in an impressive SET value of 28.22 dB, effectively providing a shielding capability of up to 99.9% against electromagnetic waves (EMW). Moreover, the SET value of IFR-C-PPy-60 min can be enhanced to 51.84 dB by stacking 4 layers, enabling the attenuation of 99.999% of EMW. The IFR-C-PPy also demonstrated exceptional fire safety and thermal stability. This study presents a novel approach for the rapid and large-scale fabrication of highly efficient conductive carbonized fabric, which demonstrates potential applications in flexible electronic devices.
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