Interface Strategy To Achieve Tunable High Frequency Attenuation

Analytical Modeling of Wave Absorption Performance in Gradient Graphene/Polymer Nanocomposites

Due to the low impedance matching caused by the high dielectric permittivity of graphene, the strong absorption of electromagnetic waves by graphene/polymer nanocomposites is challenging. In this paper, an analytical model for microwave absorption based on Maxwell's equation and the effective medium theory, considering the interface effect, was constructed to explore the effect of the gradient distribution of graphene in the polymer matrix on its microwave absorption performance. The outcome indicated that the impedance of the composites matched well with the air, and its attenuation ability for electromagnetic waves was obviously improved as the graphene concentration was distributed in a gradient form. For instance, when the thickness of the material is 10 mm, based on the optimal concentration of the homogeneous composites being 0.7 wt%, the graphene concentration range of the gradient composites is set to 0.7-0.9 wt% and distributed in three gradient forms of linear, parabolic, and 0.5 power. The results show that the microwave absorption performance is significantly improved compared with the homogeneous composites. Among them, the effective bandwidth on the 0.5 power distribution is 5.2 GHz, 0.5 GHz higher than that of the homogeneous composites. The minimum reflection loss (RL) is as low as -54.7 dB, which is 26.26 dB lower than that of the homogeneous composites. This paper contributes to the design and application of gradient absorbing structures.

Synthesis of flowerlike vanadium diselenide microspheres for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption

The revelation of MoS2as an efficient electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing material has ratcheted up people's attention to other transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs). To date, extensive studies have been conducted on the semiconducting VIB-Group TMDs while research into metallic VB-Group TMDs has been relatively rare. In this work, we successfully fabricated VB-Group VSe2microspheres through a facile one-step hydrothermal method and used them as EMW absorbers. The flowerlike VSe2microspheres based on VSe2nanosheets exhibited a minimum reflection loss of 46.58 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.86 GHz. The influence of material morphology, microstructure, and dielectric properties on the EMW absorption performance was systematically investigated. The hierarchically layered structure promoted dielectric loss and EMW absorption by means of multiple reflection, interfacial polarization and related relaxation, and enhanced attenuation ability. This work not only demonstrates that VSe2is potentially a high-efficiency single component EMW absorber, but also provides fresh insights into exploration on the EMW loss mechanisms of the metallic TMD-based absorbing materials.

Transformation of 2D Flakes to 3D Hollow Bowls: Matthew Effect Enables Defects to Prevail in Electromagnetic Wave Absorption of Hollow rGO Bowls

High-efficiency electromagnetic (EM) wave (EMW)-absorbing materials have attracted extensive scientific and technical interest. Although identifying the dominant EM loss mechanism in dielectric-loss materials is indispensable, it is challenging due to a complex synergism between dipole/interfacial polarization and conduction loss. Modulation of defects and microstructures can be a possible approach to determine the dominant EM loss mechanism and realize high-efficiency absorption. Herein, 2D reduced graphene oxide (rGO) flakes are integrated into a 3D hollow bowl-like structure, which increases defect sites (i.e., oxygen vacancy and lattice defect) and reduces the stacked thickness of rGO. Despite their lower stacked thicknesses, the hollow rGO bowls with more defects exhibit lower conductivities but higher permittivities. Accompanied by the transformation from 2D flakes to 3D hollow bowls, the dominant EM loss mechanism of rGO transforms from conduction loss to defect-induced polarization. Furthermore, the defect engineering and structural design endow rGO with well-matched impedance and strong EMW-absorbing capacity. A minimum reflection loss of -41.6 dB (1.3 mm) and an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.8 GHz (1.5 mm) is achieved at a filler loading of 5 wt%. This study will provide meaningful insights into the development of materials with superior EMW-absorbing performances via defect engineering and structural design.

Heterointerface construction for permalloy microparticles through the surface modification of bilayer metallic organic frameworks: Toward microwave absorption enhancement

Reasonable heterointerface modification can effectively regulate and enhance the microwave absorption of electromagnetic materials. The surface of magnetic permalloy (PM) microparticles is modified herein by coating double-layer metal organic frameworks (MOF), which are composed of a 2-methylimidazole cobalt salt (ZIF-67) layer and a 2-methylimidazole zinc salt (ZIF-8) layer. A stable heterointerface structure with cobalt/carbon (Co/C) and zinc/carbon (Zn/C) layers is formed on the surface of PM microparticles after pyrolysis. These particles include two types of composite particles of PM solely encapsulated by ZIF-67 or ZIF-8, PM@ZIF67 and PM@ZIF8, respectively, and two types of composite PM particles with a double-layered MOF outer shell structure obtained by exchanging the coating sequence (PM@ZIF8@ZIF67 and PM@ZIF67@ZIF8). Furthermore, the thermal decomposition temperature has a significant impact on the surface morphology and magnetic properties of the composite particles. After pyrolyzing at 500 °C, the PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 samples exhibit the highest microwave absorption performance among these samples. Specifically, the minimum reflection loss and effective absorption bandwidth of PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 after pyrolyzing at 500 °C can reach -47.3 dB at a matching thickness of 3.8 mm and 5.3 GHz at a matching thickness of 2.5 mm, respectively. A heterointerface with an electrical field orientation is created in the PM@ZIF67@ZIF8 particles, which effectively enhances the interface polarization and dipole polarization. Furthermore, the formation of a three-dimensional carbon network after pyrolysis is also useful for optimizing impedance matching and enhancing magneto-electric synergism.

Co3O4 Nanoparticle-Modified Porous Carbons with High Microwave Absorption Performances

Carbon materials derived from natural biomaterials have received increasing attention because of their low cost, accessibility, and renewability. In this work, porous carbon (DPC) material prepared from D-fructose was used to make a DPC/Co₃O₄ composite microwave absorbing material. Their electromagnetic wave absorption properties were thoroughly investigated. The results show that the composition of Co₃O₄ nanoparticles with DPC had enhanced microwave absorption (-60 dB to -63.7 dB), reduced the frequency of the maximum reflection loss (RL) (16.9 GHz to 9.2 GHz), and had high reflection loss over a wide range of coating thicknesses (2.78-4.84 mm, highest reflection loss <-30 dB). This work provided a way for further research on the development of biomass-derived carbon as a sustainable, lightweight, high-performance microwave absorber for practical applications.

Flower-like bimetal-organic framework derived composites with tunable structures for high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption

Recently, high-performance functional composites for electromagnetic wave absorption (EWA) with tunable nano/micro-structures have attracted extensive attention. Herein, the flower-like electrically conductive and magnetic cobalt-nickel@carbon (CoNi@C) composites derived from bimetallic metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) were fabricated via solvothermal method and pyrolysis. By adjusting the ratios of different precursors, different morphological features of composites were formed. When the molar ratio of Co and Ni was 1:2, the CoNi@C composites exhibited the optimal minimum reflection loss (RL_min) of -56.89 dB at 6.7 GHz with an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.7 GHz, due to the coordinated dielectric and magnetic loss caused by the electromagnetic properties of each component as well as the interactions between the unique three-dimensional (3D) interfaces of flower-like structures that promoted the absorption and dissipation of composites for microwaves. The composites are expected to become promising candidates as high-efficiency absorbers in the electromagnetic protection field.

CoFe2O4 Nanoparticles Grown within Porous Al2O3 and Immobilized on Graphene Nanosheets: A Hierarchical Nanocomposite for Broadband Microwave Absorption

Demands to develop efficient microwave-absorbing materials are increasing with the advancement of information technology and the exponential rise in the usage of electromagnetic devices. To reduce electromagnetic interference and to overcome the adverse effects caused by microwave exposure resulting from the excessive usage of electromagnetic devices, microwave absorbers are very necessary. In addition, radar-absorbing materials are essential for stealth technology in military applications. Herein, we report a nanocomposite in which CoFe₂O₄ (CF) nanoparticles were grown within the porous structure of Al₂O₃ (PA), and this CoFe₂O₄-loaded Al₂O₃ (PA-CF) nanocomposite was immobilized on the surface of nanometer-thin graphene sheets (Gr). Owing to the hierarchical structure created by the constituents, the (60PA-40CF)₉₀-Gr₁₀ nanocomposite exhibited excellent microwave-absorption properties in the X-band region with a reflection loss (RL) value of ∼-30.68 dB (∼99.9% absorption) at 10.71 and 9.04 GHz when thicknesses were 2.0 and 2.3 mm, respectively. This nanocomposite demonstrated its competence as a lightweight, high-performance microwave absorber in the X-band region, which can be utilized in the applications of pioneering stealth technology.

MOFs-Derived Three-Phase Microspheres: Morphology Preservation and Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

Reasonable structural design and composition control are the dominant factors for tuning the electromagnetic absorbing properties of materials. In this paper, microspheres composed of NiO, Ni, and Co₃O₄ nanoparticles (NCMO) were successfully synthesized using a mild oxidation method. Benefiting from the multi-component composition and a unique microstructure, the RL_min of CNMO can reach −46.8 dB at 17 GHz, with an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.1 GHz (13.9–18 GHz). The absorbing properties and the absorbing mechanism analysis showed that the microsphere-structured NCMO composed of multi-component nanoparticles enhanced the interface polarization, thereby improving the absorption performance. This research provides a new avenue for MOF-derived oxide materials with excellent electromagnetic wave absorbing properties.

Dielectric Loss Mechanism in Electromagnetic Wave Absorbing Materials

Electromagnetic (EM) wave absorbing materials play an increasingly important role in modern society for their multi-functional in military stealth and incoming 5G smart era. Dielectric loss EM wave absorbers and underlying loss mechanism investigation are of great significance to unveil EM wave attenuation behaviors of materials and guide novel dielectric loss materials design. However, current researches focus more on materials synthesis rather than in-depth mechanism study. Herein, comprehensive views toward dielectric loss mechanisms including interfacial polarization, dipolar polarization, conductive loss, and defect-induced polarization are provided. Particularly, some misunderstandings and ambiguous concepts for each mechanism are highlighted. Besides, in-depth dielectric loss study and novel dielectric loss mechanisms are emphasized. Moreover, new dielectric loss mechanism regulation strategies instead of regular components compositing are summarized to provide inspiring thoughts toward simple and effective EM wave attenuation behavior modulation.

CoFe2O4nanoparticles dispersed on carbon rods derived from cotton for high-efficiency microwave absorption

Biomass-derived carbon materials have received a surge of scientific attention to develop lightweight and broadband microwave absorbers. Herein, rodlike porous carbon materials derived from cotton have been fabricated with uniformly dispersed CoFe₂O₄nanoparticles via facile and scalable process. The combination of magnetic particles and carbonaceous material is advantageous to realize the magnetic-dielectric synergistic effect which could effectively promote the dissipation of incident waves, giving rise to an optimal reflection loss value of -48.2 dB over a qualified bandwidth (4.8 GHz) at 2.5 mm. The cotton-derived carbon rods with conductive network not only act as a supporter to carry the CoFe₂O₄nanoparticles, but also provide massive heterointerfaces to facilitate the interfacial polarization. In consideration of the renewable and abundant resource of cotton, the as-prepared CoFe₂O₄/C composites would meet the increasing demand of lightweight and highly efficient microwave absorbers.

Heterointerface Engineering in Electromagnetic Absorbers: New Insights and Opportunities

Electromagnetic (EM) absorbers play an increasingly essential role in the electronic information age, even toward the coming "intelligent era". The remarkable merits of heterointerface engineering and its peculiar EM characteristics inject a fresh and infinite vitality for designing high-efficiency and stimuli-responsive EM absorbers. However, there still exist huge challenges in understanding and reinforcing these interface effects from the micro and macro perspectives. Herein, EM response mechanisms of interfacial effects are dissected in depth, and with a focus on advanced characterization as well as theoretical techniques. Then, the representative optimization strategies are systematically discussed with emphasis on component selection and structural design. More importantly, the most cutting-edge smart EM functional devices based on heterointerface engineering are reported. Finally, current challenges and concrete suggestions are proposed, and future perspectives on this promising field are also predicted.

Tunable magneto-optical and interfacial defects of Nd and Cr-doped bismuth ferrite nanoparticles for microwave absorber applications

Tunable microwave absorption characteristics are highly desirable for industrial applications such as antenna, absorber, and biomedical diagnostics. Here, we report BiNd_xCr_xFe_1-2xO₃ (x = 0, 0.05, 0.10, 0.15) nanoparticles (NPs) with electromagnetic matching, which exhibit tunable magneto-optical and feasible microwave absorption characteristics for microwave absorber applications. The experimental results and theoretical calculations demonstrate the original bismuth ferrite (BFO) crystal structure, while Nd and Cr injection in the BFO structure may cause to minimize dielectric losses and enhance magnetization by producing interfacial defects in the spinel structure. Nd and Cr co-doping plays a key role in ordering the BFO crystal structure, resulting in improved microwave absorption characteristics. The BiNd_0.10Cr_0.10Fe_1.8O₃ (BNCF2) sample exhibits a remarkable reflection loss (RL) of -37.7 dB with a 3-mm thickness in the 10.15 GHz-10.30 GHz frequency region. Therefore, Nd and Cr doping in BFO nanoparticles opens a new pathway to construct highly efficient BFO-based materials for tunable frequency, stealth, and microwave absorber applications.

Polymer-Derived Lightweight SiBCN Ceramic Nanofibers with High Microwave Absorption Performance

Lightweight SiBCN ceramic nanofibers were prepared by a combination of electrostatic spinning and high-temperature annealing techniques, showing tunable electromagnetic wave absorption. By controlling the annealing temperature, the nanoscale architectures and atomic bonding structures of as-prepared nanofibers could be well regulated. The resulting SiBCN nanofibers ∼300 nm in diameter, which were composed of an amorphous matrix, β-SiC, and free carbon nanocrystals, were defect-free after annealing at 1600 °C. SiBCN nanofibers annealed at 1600 °C exhibited good microwave absorption, obtaining a minimum reflection coefficient of -56.9 dB at 10.56 GHz, a sample thickness of 2.6 mm with a maximum effective absorption bandwidth of 3.45 GHz, and a maximum dielectric constant of 0.44. Owing to the optimized A + B + C microstructure, SiBCN ceramic nanofibers with satisfying microwave absorption properties endowed the nanofibers with the potential to be used as lightweight, ultrastrong radar wave absorbers applied in military and the commercial market.

Controllable adjustment of cavity of core-shelled Co3O4@NiCo2O4 composites via facile etching and deposition for electromagnetic wave absorption

Core-shell structural cobalt- and nickel-based metal oxides with different compositions have rarely been reported as electromagnetic wave absorption materials. Herein, core-shell structural Co₃O₄@NiCo₂O₄ composites have been successfully fabricated via simple etching and deposition reaction of Co-based metal-organic framework with subsequent calcination in air. According to morphological evolution, it is verified that the cavity volume between Co₃O₄ core and NiCo₂O₄ shell could be modulated effectively by simply controlling proton etching and deposition reaction. The electromagnetic wave absorption properties of the Co₃O₄@NiCo₂O₄ composites were investigate. It was demonstrated that multiple interfacial polarization of heterogeneous interfaces involving cavities, such as Co₃O₄/Void, Void/NiCo₂O₄ and Co₃O₄/NiCo₂O₄ have made great contribution to the excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance. Co₃O₄@NiCo₂O₄ with optimized microstructure exhibited RL value as strong as -34.42 dB with a broad effective absorption bandwidth up to 4.88 GHz at a layer thickness of 2.6 mm. It is believed that core-shell structural cobalt- and nickel-based metal oxides will become an excellent candidate for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorber.

The development of a magnetic iron/nitrogen-doped graphitized carbon composite with boosted microwave attenuation ability as the wideband microwave absorber

Magnetic carbon-based composites have been attractive candidates for electromagnetic (EM) absorption due to their dual magnetic and dielectric loss ability. In this study, a novel magnetic carbon consisting of N-doped graphitized carbon and magnetic Fe nanoparticles was produced. First, the graphitized carbon doped with N has been demonstrated to be an efficient way to strengthen the conductivity loss ability. Based on the N-doped graphitized carbon (NGC), the magnetic Fe nanoparticles were further decorated on the NGC, which was not only favored the dielectric loss ability but also introduced the magnetic loss ability. The electromagnetic absorbing properties of the NGC-Fe nanoparticles were evaluated in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz, and as expected, the sample exhibited the excellent wideband EM absorbing ability, with an effective absorption region of 5.2 GHz under a thickness of 1.2 mm. Ulilization of element doping method consisted to modify magnetic carbon material can be a candidate for producing wideband EM absorbers but showing thin thickness.

Defect Induced Polarization Loss in Multi-Shelled Spinel Hollow Spheres for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Application

Defect engineering is an effective approach to manipulate electromagnetic (EM) parameters and enhance absorption ability, but defect induced dielectric loss dominant mechanism has not been completely clarified. Here the defect induced dielectric loss dominant mechanism in virtue of multi-shelled spinel hollow sphere for the first time is demonstrated. The unique but identical morphology design as well as suitable composition modulation for serial spinels can exclude the disturbance of EM wave dissipation from dipolar/interfacial polarization and conduction loss. In temperature-regulated defect in NiCo2O4 serial materials, two kinds of defects, defect in spinel structure and oxygen vacancy are detected. Defect in spinel structure played more profound role on determining materials' EM wave dissipation than that of oxygen vacancy. When evaluated serial Co-based materials as absorbers, defect induced polarization loss is responsible for the superior absorption performance of NiCo2O4-based material due to its more defect sites in spinel structure. It is discovered that electron spin resonance test may be adopted as a novel approach to directly probe EM wave absorption capacities of materials. This work not only provides a strategy to prepare lightweight, efficient EM wave absorber but also illustrates the importance of defect engineering on regulation of materials' dielectric loss capacity.

Fabrication of N-Doped Reduced Graphite Oxide/MnCo2O4 Nanocomposites for Enhanced Microwave Absorption Performance

The present work reports on the fabrication of a lightweight microwave absorber comprising MnCo₂O₄ prepared from the urea complex of manganese (Mn)/cobalt (Co) and nitrogen-doped reduced graphite oxide (NRGO) by facile hydrothermal method followed by annealing process and characterized. The phase analysis, compositional, morphological, magnetic, and conductivity measurements indicated dispersion of paramagnetic MnCo₂O₄ spherical particles on the surface of NRGO. Our findings also showed that Mn, Co-urea complex, and GO in the weight ratio of 1:4 (NGMC3) exhibited maximum shielding efficiency in the range of 55-38 dB with absorption as an overall dominant shielding mechanism. The reflection loss of NGMC3 was found to be in the range of -90 to -77 dB with minima at -103 dB (at 2.9 GHz). Such outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption performance of NRGO/MnCo₂O₄ nanocomposite compared to several other metal cobaltates could be attributed to the formation of percolated network assisted electronic polarization, interfacial polarization and associated relaxation losses, conductance loss, dipole polarization and corresponding relaxation loss, impedance matching, and magnetic resonance to some extent.

A Review on Metal-Organic Framework-Derived Porous Carbon-Based Novel Microwave Absorption Materials

The development of microwave absorption materials (MAMs) is a considerable important topic because our living space is crowed with electromagnetic wave which threatens human's health. And MAMs are also used in radar stealth for protecting the weapons from being detected. Many nanomaterials were studied as MAMs, but not all of them have the satisfactory performance. Recently, metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted tremendous attention owing to their tunable chemical structures, diverse properties, large specific surface area and uniform pore distribution. MOF can transform to porous carbon (PC) which is decorated with metal species at appropriate pyrolysis temperature. However, the loss mechanism of pure MOF-derived PC is often relatively simple. In order to further improve the MA performance, the MOFs coupled with other loss materials are a widely studied method. In this review, we summarize the theories of MA, the progress of different MOF-derived PC‑based MAMs, tunable chemical structures incorporated with dielectric loss or magnetic loss materials. The different MA performance and mechanisms are discussed in detail. Finally, the shortcomings, challenges and perspectives of MOF-derived PC‑based MAMs are also presented. We hope this review could provide a new insight to design and fabricate MOF-derived PC-based MAMs with better fundamental understanding and practical application.

Preparation of Ni/C porous fibers derived from jute fibers for high-performance microwave absorption

Composites obtained by incorporating magnetic nanoparticles into porous carbon materials are promising in serving as microwave absorbing materials. In this study, Ni/C porous fibers were successfully synthesized through a simple in situ template method by using low-cost jute fibers as carbon source and template. The results showed that the Ni nanoparticles were uniformly loaded on the surface and hollow porous structure of the Ni/C porous fibers. Meanwhile, the content and size of the Ni nanoparticles on the Ni/C porous fibers can be controlled. Due to a suitable filling content, the synergistic effect of dielectric loss, interface polarization loss, magnetic loss and porous structure of the Ni/C porous fibers, an excellent microwave absorption performance was achieved. The minimum reflection loss value reached -43.0 dB, and a reflection loss value less than -10 dB was in the frequency range of 11.2-16.1 GHz with 2.0 mm thickness. In particular, under matching thickness (1.5-3.5 mm), the values of all the reflection loss peaks were below -20.0 dB. It is believed that this work can not only provide a new way to design excellent carbon-based microwave absorbing materials, but also offer an effective design strategy to synthesize biomass nanocomposites.

An Effective Design Strategy for the Sandwich Structure of PVDF/GNP-Ni-CNT Composites with Remarkable Electromagnetic Interference Shielding Effectiveness

It is well-known that attractive electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance depends on functional (e.g., electrical and magnetic) fillers and structural designs. This paper presents a novel three-layered sandwich structure of poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)-based nanocomposites, consisting of graphene nanoplatelets (GNP), nickel (Ni), and carbon nanotubes (CNT). The unique three-layered sandwich structure of GNP-Ni-CNT exhibited excellent EMI shielding ability due to the several interfaces of the multilayered structure with electric loss by the conductive fillers and magnetic loss by the magnetic filler. The overall shielding performance could be further improved by increasing the overall thickness and the number of layers. With a fixed thickness of 0.6 mm, the shielding effectiveness of the PVDF/GNP-Ni-CNT three-layered and six-layered structure composite at 15 GHz was 41.8 and 46.4 dB, respectively. These results provide a useful strategy to prepare various EMI shielding materials with a sandwich structure, presenting tremendous opportunities to design and manufacture advanced EMI shielding materials and equipment.

An Easy Method of Synthesis CoxOy@C Composite with Enhanced Microwave Absorption Performance

Design of interface-controllable magnetic composite towards the wideband microwave absorber is greatly significance, however, it still remains challenging. Herein, we designed a spherical-like hybrids, using the Co3O4 and amorphous carbon as the core and shell, respectively. Then, the existed Co3O4 core could be totally reduced by the carbon shell, thus in CoxOy core (composed by Co and Co3O4). Of particular note, the ratios of Co and Co3O4 can be linearly tuned, suggesting the controlled interfaces, which greatly influences the interface loss behavior and electromagnetic absorption performance. The results revealed that the minimum reflection loss value (RLmin) of -39.4 dB could be achieved for the optimal CoxOy@C sample under a thin thickness of 1.4 mm. More importantly, the frequency region with RL < -10 dB was estimated to be 4.3 GHz, ranging from 13.7 to 18.0 GHz. The superior wideband microwave absorption performance was primarily attributed to the multiple interfacial polarization and matched impedance matching ability.

Ti3C2Tx MXenes as thin broadband absorbers

Atomically multilayered two-dimensional transition-metal carbides have abundant interfaces, and are very promising as outstanding electromagnetic absorbing materials at thin thickness. Here, a Ti₃C₂T_x MXene was prepared by hydrofluoric acid etching method, and has typical multilayered morphology with stacks of nanosheets. The microwave dielectric behaviours of the Ti₃C₂T_x with efficient microwave absorption were investigated. The Ti₃C₂T_x presents good impedance matching, achieved with effective absorption bandwidth covering from 12.4 GHz to 17.1 GHz, with thickness of only 1.5 mm, which nearly covers the whole Ku band. The microwave absorption performance was adjusted, and the Ti₃C₂T_x has a minimum reflection loss of -34.4 dB at 12 GHz at only 1.7 mm. This study demonstrates the real potential of Ti₃C₂T_x MXene materials as electromagnetic wave thin broadband absorbers.

Facile Synthesis of Sandwich-Like rGO/CuS/Polypyrrole Nanoarchitectures for Efficient Electromagnetic Absorption

Currently, electromagnetic pollution management has gained much attention due to the various harmful effects on wildlife and human beings. Electromagnetic absorbers can convert energy from electromagnetic waves into thermal energy. Previous reports have demonstrated that reduced graphene oxide (rGO) makes progress in the electromagnetic absorption (EA) field. But the high value of permittivity of rGO always mismatches the impedance which results in more electromagnetic wave reflection on the surface. In this work, sandwich-like rGO/CuS/polypyrrole (PPy) nanoarchitectures have been synthesized by a facile two-step method. The experimental result has shown that a paraffin composite containing 10 wt.% of rGO/CuS/PPy could achieve an enhanced EA performance both in bandwidth and intensity. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −49.11 dB can be reached. Furthermore, the effective bandwidth can cover 4.88 GHz. The result shows that the as-prepared rGO/CuS/PPy nanoarchitectures will be a promising EA material.

Excellent lightweight carbon-based microwave absorbers derived from metal–organic frameworks with tunable electromagnetic properties

Upon introducing Gibbs free energy to effectively control the final products, the as-prepared carbon-based composites show excellent absorbing ability at 1.4 mm.

Flexible PEBAX/graphene electromagnetic shielding composite films with a negative pressure effect of resistance for pressure sensors applications

In the current work, we fabricated flexible poly(ether-block-amide) (PEBAX)/graphene composite films by a combination of facile melt blending and compression molding technique. The graphene content significantly affects the mechanical properties, electrical conductivity and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance. An electrically conductive percolation threshold of 1.75 vol% graphene was obtained in the PEBAX/graphene composites. With the introduction of 4.45 vol%, and 8.91 vol% graphene content, the average EMI SE of composite films could reach 16.6 and 30.7 dB, respectively. More interestingly, the PEBAX/graphene composite exhibited a nearly-linear negative pressure coefficient (NPC) effect of resistance with increasing outer pressure stimulation, which was attributed to the formation of more conductive pathways caused by the decreased distance between adjacent graphene. In addition, these composites demonstrated good sensing stability, recoverability and reproducibility after stabilization by cyclic pressure loading. The current study provides guidelines for the large-scale preparation of elastomer NPC sensors and smart EMI shielding devices.

Graphene/PEBAX composite films present high-efficiency EMI shielding properties and good sensitivity as well as sensing stability.

Heterogeneous iron–nickel compound/RGO composites with tunable microwave absorption frequency and ultralow filler loading

Heterogeneous iron–nickel compound/reduced graphene oxide composites were fabricated to obtain lightweight and high-efficiency microwave absorption materials with tunable absorption frequency.

NiFe2O4 Nanoparticles Synthesized by Dextrin from Corn-Mediated Sol-Gel Combustion Method and Its Polypropylene Nanocomposites Engineered with Reduced Graphene Oxide for the Reduction of Electromagnetic Pollution

In this work, nickel ferrite (NiFe2O4) nanoparticles were synthesized by dextrin from corn-mediated sol-gel combustion method and were annealed at 600, 800, and 1000 °C. The structural and physical characteristics of prepared nanoparticles were studied in detail. The average crystallite size was 20.6, 34.5, and 68.6 nm for NiFe2O4 nanoparticles annealed at 600 °C (NFD@600), 800 °C (NFD@800), and 1000 °C (NFD@1000), respectively. The electromagnetic interference shielding performance of prepared nanocomposites of NiFe2O4 nanoparticles (NFD@600 or NFD@800 or NFD@1000) in polypropylene (PP) matrix engineered with reduced graphene oxide (rGO) have been investigated; the results indicated that the prepared nanocomposites consisted of smaller-sized nickel ferrite nanoparticles exhibited excellent electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding characteristics. The total EMI shielding effectiveness (SET) for the prepared nanocomposites have been noticed to be 45.56, 36.43, and 35.71 dB for NFD@600-rGO-PP, NFD@800-rGO-PP, and NFD@1000-rGO-PP nanocomposites, respectively, at the thickness of 2 mm in microwave X-band range (8.2-12.4 GHz). The evaluated values of specific EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE) were 38.81, 32.79, and 31.73 dB·cm3/g, and the absolute EMI shielding effectiveness (SSE/t) values were 388.1, 327.9, and 317.3 dB·cm2/g for NFD@600-rGO-PP, NFD@800-rGO-PP, and NFD@1000-rGO-PP, respectively. The prepared lightweight and flexible sheets can be considered useful nanocomposites against electromagnetic radiation pollution.

Superhydrophobic Civil Engineering Materials: A Review from Recent Developments

Superhydrophobic surfaces have drawn attention from scientists and engineers because of their extreme water repellency. More interestingly, these surfaces have also demonstrated an infinite influence on civil engineering materials. In this feature article, the history of wettability theory is described firstly. The approaches to construct hierarchical micro/nanostructures such as chemical vapor deposition (CVD), electrochemical, etching, and flame synthesis methods are introduced. Then, the advantages and limitations of each method are discussed. Furthermore, the recent progress of superhydrophobicity applied on civil engineering materials and its applications are summarized. Finally, the obstacles and prospects of superhydrophobic civil engineering materials are stated and expected. This review should be of interest to scientists and civil engineers who are interested in superhydrophobic surfaces and novel civil engineering materials.

Ultrathin Topological Insulator Absorber: Unique Dielectric Behavior of Bi2Te3 Nanosheets Based on Conducting Surface States

Topological insulators exhibit great potential in the fields of electronics and semiconductors for their gapless surface states. Intriguingly, most topological insulators are possibly excellent microwave-absorbing materials because of easy adjustment of electrical transport based on conducting surface states in the nanostructure. Herein, topological insulator Bi₂Te₃ nanosheets are synthesized by a simple solvothermal method. The material demonstrates a unique dielectric behavior based on conducting surface states, resulting in excellent microwave-absorbing performance. Benefiting from the outstanding impedance matching, Bi₂Te₃ nanosheets exhibit an ultrathin microwave absorption with the qualified frequency bandwidth of 3.0 GHz at only 0.77 mm thickness, which is thinner than other absorbers in reported references. Moreover, a strong reflection loss of -41 dB at 0.8 mm is achieved. The result provides a new approach for developing ultrathin microwave absorption materials at the submillimeter scale.

Amorphous/Nanocrystalline Carbonized Hydrochars with Isomeric Heterogeneous Interfacial Polarizations for High-performance Microwave Absorption

Carbon allotropes and their derivatives have exhibited superior performances for microwave absorption ascribed to their dielectric attenuation capacity raised from the multiple dipolar configurations. Such characteristics could be achieved by constructing diverse micro/nanoscale architectures, incorporating vacancies and heteroatoms, and composing with heterogeneous components. Alternatively, we herein present a facile approach for the synthesis of carbonized hydrochars, which are composed of dispersed ultrafine nanocrystallines graphite and amorphous matrix. Such a isomeric construction has a high-density interfaces, accompanied with significant interfacial polarizations, leading to the improvement of microwave absorbing capabilities. For carbonized hydrochars, the RL_min value can reach −40.36 dB, and corresponding effective bandwidth is 2 GHz. This work provides a concept for designing microwave absorption materials based on isomeric heterogeneous interfacial polarizations in single-element systems.

Comparison of Experimental and Modeled EMI Shielding Properties of Periodic Porous xGNP/PLA Composites

Microwave absorbing materials, particularly ones that can achieve high electromagnetic interference (EMI) absorption while minimizing weight and thickness are in high demand for many applications. Herein we present an approach that relies on the introduction of periodically placed air-filled pores into polymer composites in order to reduce material requirements and maximize microwave absorption. In this study, graphene nano platelet (xGNP)/poly-lactic acid (PLA) composites with different aspect ratio fillers were characterized and their complex electromagnetic properties were extracted. Using these materials, we fabricated non-perfect electrical conductor (PEC) backed, porous composites and explored the effect of filler aspect ratio and pore geometry on EMI shielding properties. Furthermore, we developed and experimentally verified a computational model that allows for rigorous, high-throughput optimization of absorbers with periodic porous geometries. Finally, we extend the modeling approach to explore the effect of pore addition on PEC-backed composites. Our composite structures demonstrated decreased fractions of reflected power and increased fractions of absorbed power over the majority of the X Band due to the addition of periodically arranged cylindrical pores. Furthermore, we showed that for xGNP/PLA composite material, reflection loss can be increased by as much as 13 dB through the addition of spherical pores. The ability to adjust shielding properties through the fabrication of polymer composites with periodically arranged pores opens new strategies for the modeling and development of new microwave absorption materials.

Fabrication of Three-Dimensional Flower-like Heterogeneous Fe3O4/Fe Particles with Tunable Chemical Composition and Microwave Absorption Performance

Heterogeneous Fe₃O₄ and Fe composites are highly desirable for microwave absorption application because of their complementary electromagnetic (EM) properties. With three-dimensional (3D) Fe₂O₃ as a sacrificing template, we realize the construction of Fe₃O₄/Fe composites with tunable chemical composition, and more importantly, these composites inherit the unique 3D microstructure from their precursor. The change in chemical composition produces significant impacts on the EM functions of these composites. On the one hand, dielectric loss can be improved greatly through positive interfacial polarization and reach the peak when the mass contents of Fe₃O₄ and Fe are 72.1 and 27.9 wt %, respectively. On the other hand, high Fe content slightly pulls down magnetic loss in the low-frequency range but favors strong magnetic loss in the high-frequency range because of the breakthrough of Snoek's limitation. The attenuation constant reveals that dielectric loss dominates overall consumption of incident EM waves. As a result, the optimized composite, F-350 (the reduction of Fe₂O₃ is conducted at 350 °C), shows the best microwave absorption performance, whose strongest reflection loss is -56.0 dB at 17.5 GHz and the effective bandwidth can cover the frequency range of 12.0-15.5 GHz with the thickness of 1.5 mm. Furthermore, an ultrawide effective bandwidth of 15.3 GHz can be achieved with the integrated thickness of 1.0-5.0 mm. Such a performance is superior to those of many reported Fe₃O₄/Fe composites, and a comparative analysis manifests that good microwave absorption of F-350 is also benefited from its unique 3D architecture.

Permittivity-Regulating Strategy Enabling Superior Electromagnetic Wave Absorption of Lithium Aluminum Silicate/rGO Nanocomposites

Lithium aluminum silicate (LAS) nanoparticles have been successfully loaded on graphene nanosheets by adding a silane coupling agent KH-550 by sol-gel process, hydrothermal reaction, and heat treatment process. By regulating the complex permittivity of reduced graphene oxide (rGO) by LAS nanoparticles and KH-550, LAS/rGO-KH-550 possesses excellent microwave absorption performance. The maximum reflection loss of LAS/rGO-KH-550 reaches -62.25 dB at 16.48 GHz with thickness of only 2.7 mm, and the widest bandwidth is up to 6.64 GHz below -10 dB. The LAS/rGO-KH-550 has effective absorption (99.9%) below -20 dB at all X and Ku bands (8-18 GHz). Also, the added quantity of composites in the paraffin matrix is only 20 wt %. The results demonstrate that the interfacial polarization, the Debye dipolar relaxation, the well-matched characteristic impedance, and the quarter-wavelength matching all play important roles in improving the microwave absorption properties of LAS/rGO-KH-550 nanocomposites. Consequently, the LAS/rGO-KH-550 nanocomposites can be readily applied as an ultra-wide-band, light weight, and ultra-high-performance microwave-absorbing material.

Review of electromagnetic interference shielding materials fabricated by iron ingredients

Iron (Fe) and its counterparts, such as Fe2O3, Fe3O4, carbonyl iron and FeO, have attracted the attention of researchers during the past few years due to their bio-compatibility, bio-degradability and diverse applications in the field of medicines, electronics and energy; including water treatment, catalysis and electromagnetic wave interference shielding etc. In this review paper, we aimed to explore iron based materials for the prevention of electromagnetic interference (EMI) by means of both reflection and absorption processes, including the standard methods of synthesis of Fe-based materials along with the determination of EMI performance. It is customary that a proper combination of two dielectric-losses, i.e. electrical and magnetic losses, give excellent microwave absorption properties. Therefore, we focused on the different strategies of preparation of these iron based composites with dielectric carbon materials, polymers etc. Additionally, we explained their positive and negative aspects.

Interface Modulating CNTs@PANi Hybrids by Controlled Unzipping of the Walls of CNTs To Achieve Tunable High-Performance Microwave Absorption

Making full use of the interface modulation-induced interface polarization is an effective strategy to achieve excellent microwave absorption (MA). In this study, we develop an interfacial modulation strategy for achieving this goal in the commonly reported dielectric carbon nanotubes@polyaniline (CNTs@PANi) hybrid microwave absorber by optimizing the CNT nanocore structure. The heterogeneous interfaces from PANi and CNTs can be well regulated by longitudinal unzipping of the walls of CNTs to form 1D CNT- and 3D CNT-bridged graphene nanoribbons and 2D graphene nanoribbons. By controlling the oxidation peeling degree of CNTs, their interface area and defects are enhanced, thus producing more polarization centers to generate interfacial polarization and polarization relaxation, and also introducing more PANi loadings. Furthermore, more interface contact area can be produced between CNTs and PANi. This could induce a strong dielectric resonant and further improve the impedance matching, leading to significant enhancement of MA performance. With filler loading of only 10 wt % and a thinner coating thickness of 2.4 mm, the optimized CNTs@PANi exhibits excellent MA performance with the minimum reflection loss (RL_min) value of -45.7 dB at 12.0 GHz and the effective bandwidth is from 10.2 to 14.8 GHz. Meanwhile, the broadest effective bandwidth reaches 5.6 GHz, covering the range of 12.4-18.0 GHz with a thin thickness of 2.0 mm and its RL_min reaches -29.0 dB at 14.6 GHz. It is believed that the proposed interfacial modulation strategy can provide new opportunities for designing efficient MA absorbers.

Biomass-Derived Porous Carbon-Based Nanostructures for Microwave Absorption

Currently, electromagnetic (EM) pollution poses severe complication toward the operation of electronic devices and biological systems. To this end, it is pertinent to develop novel microwave absorbers through compositional and structural design. Porous carbon (PC) materials demonstrate great potential in EM wave absorption due to their ultralow density, large surface area, and excellent dielectric loss ability. However, the large-scale production of PC materials through low-cost and simple synthetic route is a challenge. Deriving PC materials through biomass sources is a sustainable, ubiquitous, and low-cost method, which comes with many desired features, such as hierarchical texture, periodic pattern, and some unique nanoarchitecture. Using the bio-inspired microstructure to manufacture PC materials in mild condition is desirable. In this review, we summarize the EM wave absorption application of biomass-derived PC materials from optimizing structure and designing composition. The corresponding synthetic mechanisms and development prospects are discussed as well. The perspective in this field is given at the end of the article.

Two-dimensional MoS2 modified using CoFe2O4 nanoparticles with enhanced microwave response in the X and Ku band

A novel MoS₂/CoFe₂O₄ two-dimensional composite was designed, which showed ideal impedance matching and enhanced interface polarization.

Symmetrical polyhedron-bowl Co/CoO with hexagonal plate to forward electromagnetic wave absorption ability

The symmetrical polyhedron-bowl structured Co/CoO displays enhanced microwave absorption properties.

Correlation between Structural Changes and Electrical Transport Properties of Spinel ZnFe2O4 Nanoparticles under High Pressure

The structural phase transition of synthetic ZnFe₂O₄ nanoparticles (ZFO NPs) is investigated as a function of pressure up to 40.6 GPa at room temperature for the first time, and its associated intriguing electrical transport properties are resolved from in situ impedance spectra and magnetoresistivity measurements. Significant anomalies are observed in the properties of the grain boundary resistance ( R_gb), the relaxation frequency ( f_max), and the relative permittivity (ε_r) in the ZFO NPs under the pressures around 17.5-21.5 GPa. These anomalies are believed to be correlated with a cubic-to-orthorhombic phase transition of ZnFe₂O₄ at the pressures between 21.9 and 25.7 GPa, which is found to be partially reversible. The pressure-tuned dielectric properties are measured for the cubic and the orthorhombic phases of ZFO, respectively. Remarkably, R_gb decreases up to 6 orders of magnitude as a function of pressure in the cubic phase. The dielectric polarization is obviously strengthened with increased f_max and decreased ε_r with pressure in the orthorhombic phase. Furthermore, it is confirmed that the external pressure effectively improves the electrochemical stability of the sample based on the cycled measurements of the impedance spectra at various pressures. The changes in the complex permittivity (ε', ε″) and the dielectric loss tangent (tan δ) with frequency reveal the irreversible increase in the dielectric loss accompanied by phase transition. The MR measurements indicate that ZFO NPs are superparamagnetic under high pressure of up to 40 GPa. The transmission electron microscopy images reflect the decrease in the grain boundary number and some local amorphization of grains after compression, which provides good explanations for the changes in the electrical transport properties as a function of pressure. Herein, the structural and electrical properties of ZnFe₂O₄ NPs generated are preserved by quenching the high-pressure phase to ambient conditions, thus providing great choices of ferrites materials for a variety of applications.

Quick Heat Dissipation in Absorption-Dominated Microwave Shielding Properties of Flexible Poly(vinylidene fluoride)/Carbon Nanotube/Co Composite Films with Anisotropy-Shaped Co (Flowers or Chains)

The facile fabrication of thin flexible electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials with fast heat dissipation for adaptable tuning in both civil and military applications is in urgent demand. In our work, the flexible poly(vinylidene fluoride) (PVDF)/carbon nanotube (CNT) composite films decorated with anisotropy-shaped Co in flowers or chains were prepared and studied. The results showed that by increasing the Co filler contents, the EC (electrical conductivity), TC (thermal conductivity), and EMI shielding properties of such PVDF/CNT/Co (flowers or chains) flexible films were significantly improved. In contrast, the PVDF/CNT/Co-chain flexible films exhibit higher performance with respect to the EC, TC, and EMI shielding properties. Total shielding of 35.3 and 32.2 dB were, respectively, obtained by the PVDF/CNT/6 wt % Co-chain with an EC of 2.28 S/cm and the PVDF/CNT/6 wt % Co-flower with an EC of 1.94 S/cm at a film thickness of 0.3 mm. Possibly owing to the conductive dissipation, interfacial polarization, magnetic loss, multiple reflections, and scattering of EM waves, such flexible composite films possessed a remarkable absorption-dominated EMI shielding behavior. These new composite films with enhanced TC are easily able to transform microwave energy into Joule heating systems, making themselves greatly potential for effective EMI shielding as well as rapid heat dissipation.

Graphene Shield by SiBCN Ceramic: A Promising High-Temperature Electromagnetic Wave-Absorbing Material with Oxidation Resistance

As cutting-edge emerging electromagnetic (EM) wave-absorbing materials, the Achilles' heel of graphenes is vulnerable to oxidation under high temperature and oxygen atmosphere, particularly at temperatures more than 600 °C. Herein, a graphene@Fe₃O₄/siliconboron carbonitride (SiBCN) nanocomplex with a hierarchical A/B/C structure, in which SiBCN serves as a "shield" to protect graphene@Fe₃O₄ from undergoing high-temperature oxidation, was designed and tuned by polymer-derived ceramic route. The nanocomplexes are stable even at 1100-1400 °C in either argon or air atmosphere. Their minimum reflection coefficient (RC_min) and effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) are -43.78 dB and 3.4 GHz at ambient temperature, respectively. After oxidation at 600 °C, they exhibit much better EM wave absorption, where the RC_min decreases to -66.21 dB and EAB increases to 3.69 GHz in X-band. At a high temperature of 600 °C, they also possess excellent and promising EW wave absorption, for which EAB is 3.93 GHz, covering 93.6% range of X-band. In comparison to previous works on graphenes, either the EAB or the RC_min of these nanocomplexes is excellent at high-temperature oxidation. This novel nanomaterial technology may shed light on the downstream applications of graphenes in EM-wave-absorbing devices and smart structures worked in harsh environments.

Constructing multi-interface Mo2C/Co@C nanorods for a microwave response based on a double attenuation mechanism

In this work, novel one-dimensional (1D) Mo2C/Co@C nanorods (MCRs), using a metal-organic framework (zeolitic imidazolate framework; ZIF-67) as the coating layer to form multi-interfaces, were formed via a facile hard template method. Compared with previous works relating to porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites, the well-designed MCRs in this study possess a double attenuation mechanism due to the existence of the dielectric materials Mo2C and remaining carbon (RC) and the magnetic compound Co. Thanks to a new design and the multiple useful compounds, the as-prepared MCRs have the features of demonstrating multi-interfacial polarization, a large surface area and highly isotropic dissipation. Hence, the samples not only inherit the excellent microwave absorbing abilities of Mo2C but they also have a broadened effective bandwidth. For example, the minimum reflection loss (RL) value of MCRs with 35% sample loading could reach -47.98 dB. More importantly, RL values of less than -10 dB can be observed from 11.08 to 17.08 GHz (an effective bandwidth of 6.0 GHz) with a matching thickness of 1.6 mm, which is much better than previous work involving porous-carbon-based Mo2C nanocomposites. Firstly, we have reasonably redesigned the samples to have good absorbing properties for practical applications. Secondly, we have paved a highly efficient and universal way to synthesize 1D microwave absorbers with multiple valuable interfaces.

Metal-organic framework derived cobalt phosphosulfide with ultrahigh microwave absorption properties

Nanostructure composites of ferromagnetic materials embedded in nanoporous carbon (NC) derived from metal-organic frameworks (MOFs) have attracted enormous attention due to their potential application in many fields, such as microwave absorption, energy storage, and conversion. The rational design of nanocomposites holds a determinant factor for overcoming the challenges involving the microwave absorption performance. Herein, CoS₂/NC, CoP/NC, and CoS_2-xP_x/NC with a rhombic dodecahedral structure have been successfully fabricated by using the template cobalt-based MOFs (ZIF-67). A morphology analysis indicates that ferromagnetic nanoparticles are embedded in NC matrix. It is obvious that the rhombic dodecahedron can be maintained after the phosphorization and sulfurization of Co/NC derived from the thermal decomposition of ZIF-67. The microwave absorption performance can obviously be improved by the phosphorization and sulfurization of Co/NC. CoS_2-xP_x/NC exhibits an excellent microwave absorption property and the minimum reflection loss (RL) of CoS_2-xP_x/NC can reach -68 dB at 14.6 GHz with a thickness of 1.5 mm. An RL value less than -10 dB can be achieved in the microwave frequency range of 12.7-17.3 GHz (4.6 GHz) with a thickness of 1.5 mm for CoS_2-xP_x/NC. This article offers a novel way to fabricate cobalt-based materials/carbon composites for an excellent microwave absorber.