Electromagnetic interference (EMI) represents a growing challenge in the modern era, as electronic systems and wireless technologies become increasingly integrated into daily life. This review provides a comprehensive overview of EMI, beginning with its historical evolution over centuries, from early power transmission systems and industrial machinery to today’s complex environment shaped by IoT, 5G, smart devices, and autonomous technologies. The diverse sources of EMI and their wide-ranging effects are examined, including disruptions in electrical and medical devices, ecological impacts on wildlife, and potential risks to human health. Beyond its technical and societal implications, the economic dimension of EMI is explored, highlighting the rapid expansion of the global shielding materials market and its forecasted growth driven by telecommunications, automotive, aerospace, and healthcare sectors. Preventative strategies against EMI are discussed, with particular emphasis on the role of advanced materials. Carbon-based nanomaterials—such as graphene, carbon nanotubes, and carbon foams—are presented as promising solutions owing to their exceptional conductivity, mechanical strength, tunable structure, and environmental sustainability. By uniting perspectives on EMI’s origins, consequences, market dynamics, and mitigation strategies, this work underscores the urgent need for scalable, high-performance, and eco-friendly shielding approaches. Special attention is given to recent advances in carbon-based nanomaterials, which are poised to play a transformative role in ensuring the safety, reliability, and sustainability of future electronic technologies.

Nowadays, a larger number of aggressive and corrosive chemical reagents as well as toxic solvents are used to achieve structural modification and cleaning of the final products. These lead to the production of residual, waste chemicals, which are often reactive, cancerogenic, and toxic to the environment. This study shows a new approach to the modification of graphene quantum dots (GQDs) using gamma irradiation where the usage of reagents was avoided. We achieved the incorporation of S and N atoms in the GQD structure by selecting an aqueous solution of L-cysteine as an irradiation medium. GQDs were exposed to gamma-irradiation at doses of 25, 50 and 200 kGy. After irradiation, the optical, structural, and morphological properties, as well as the possibility of their use as an agent in bioimaging and photodynamic therapy, were studied. We measured an enhanced quantum yield of photoluminescence with the highest dose of 25 kGy (21.60%). Both S- and N-functional groups were detected in all gamma-irradiated GQDs: amino, amide, thiol, and thione. Spin trap electron paramagnetic resonance showed that GQDs irradiated with 25 kGy can generate singlet oxygen upon illumination. Bioimaging on HeLa cells showed the best visibility for cells treated with GQDs irradiated with 25 kGy, while cytotoxicity was not detected after treatment of HeLa cells with gamma-irradiated GQDs.

Technological development has led to the need for materials able to block electromagnetic waves (EMWs) emitted from various devices. EMWs could negatively affect the working performance and lifetime of multiple instruments and measuring devices. New EMW shielding materials are being developed, while among nanomaterials, graphene-based composites have shown promising features. Herein, we have produced graphene oxide (GO), silver nanowires (AgNWs) composites, by varying the mass ratios of each component. UV-Vis, infrared, Raman spectroscopies, and thermogravimetric analysis proved the establishment of the interactions between them. For the first time, the strength and the nature of the interaction between GO sheets with various levels of oxidation and AgNWs were investigated using density function theory (DFT). The interaction energy between ideal graphene and AgNWs was calculated to be −48.9 kcal/mol, while for AgNWs and GO, this energy is almost doubled at −81.9 kcal/mol. The DFT results confirmed the interfacial polarization at the heterointerface via charge transfer and accumulation at the interface, improving the efficacy of EMW shielding. Our results indicated that AgNWs create a compact complex with GO due to charge transfer between them. Charge redistributions in GO-AgNWs composites resulted in an improved ability of the composite to block EMWs compared to GO alone.

Electromagnetic waves (EMWs) have become an integral part of our daily lives, but they are causing a new form of environmental pollution, manifesting as electromagnetic interference (EMI) and radio frequency signal leakage. As a result, the demand for innovative, eco-friendly materials capable of blocking EMWs has escalated in the past decade, underscoring the significance of our research. In the realm of modern science, the creation of new materials must consider the starting materials, production costs, energy usage, and the potential for air, water, and soil pollution. Herein, we utilized biowaste materials generated during the distillation of fruit schnapps. The biowaste from apple and quince schnapps distillation was used as starting material, mixed with KOH, and carbonized at 850 °C, in a nitrogen atmosphere. The structure of samples was investigated using various techniques (infrared, Raman, energy-dispersive X-ray, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopies, thermogravimetric analysis, BET surface area analyzer). Encouragingly, these materials demonstrated the ability to block EMWs within a frequency range of 8 to 12 GHz. Shielding efficiency was measured using waveguide adapters connected to ports (1 and 2) of the vector network analyzer using radio-frequency coaxial cables. At a frequency of 10 GHz, carbonized biowaste blocks 78.5% of the incident electromagnetic wave.