Constructing hierarchical Ti3SiC2 layer and carbon nanotubes on SiC fibers for enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption

To enhance the absorption performance of silicon carbide fiber (SiC_f), hybrid fibers with a double shell structure (Ti₃SiC₂ and carbon nanotubes (CNTs)) on the SiC_f (CNT@Ti₃SiC₂@SiC_f) were successfully synthesized by the combination of molten salt method and floating catalytic chemical vapor deposition. A series of 10% weight fraction fibers reinforced paraffin samples was prepared to study the double coating influences on the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performances. Coated by Ti₃SiC₂ and CNTs, the dielectric permittivity of hybrid fibers could be modulated in a quite wide range. The CNT@Ti₃SiC₂@SiC_f with a thickness of 3.8 mm showed a minimum reflection loss value of ?53 dB at 6.57 GHz, and the CNT@Ti₃SiC₂@SiC_f with a thickness of 2.5 mm presented a wide effective absorption bandwidth of 5.6 GHz (from 9 to 14.6 GHz). The highly improved EMW absorption performance of CNT@Ti₃SiC₂@SiC_f was attributed to the combination of conductive loss and dielectric loss aroused by interfaces. The excellent absorption performance provided the modified SiC_f with a high potential in the application of EMW absorbers.     

Controllable dielectric properties and strong electromagnetic wave absorption properties of SiC/spherical graphite-AlN microwave-attenuating composite ceramics

Fully dense SiC/spherical graphite-AlN microwave-attenuating composite ceramics were manufactured via hot-pressing sintering, in which, apart from the primary SG (spherical graphite) attenuating agent, 5–30 wt% semiconductive α-SiC was employed as the second attenuating agent. The incorporation of SiC contributed to a slightly decreasing electrical conductivity and enhanced polarization relaxation. Controllable complex permittivities were obtained, namely, both the real and imaginary permittivities exhibit first a decrease and then an increase with the SiC addition, and which delivers an optimized impedance matching of the composites. RL_min values below ?10 dB (more than 90% absorption) were achieved by all the composites containing 5–20 wt% SiC with the sample thickness of 1–1.4 mm, and the absorption performance characteristics were significantly tunable by controlling the of SiC content at 8.2–12.4 GHz. Impressively, a superior reflection loss of ?46 dB (1.1 mm) and wide effective absorption bandwidth of 2.1 GHz were achieved at a 5 wt% SiC content, respectively, rendering SiC/SG–AlN composites a potential ultra-thin and highly efficient microwave-attenuating ceramic candidate.     

Sandwich-like preparation of Ti3C2Tx@CoFe@TiO2 nanocomposites for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption

Electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbing materials have been widely applied in the fields of military and engineering areas. It is of great significance to develop high-performance EMW absorbing materials. This work assembled the sandwich-like Ti₃C₂T_x based nanocomposites by the microwave-assisted annealing of CoFe-MOF@Ti₃C₂T_x (CFMF@Ti₃C₂T_x) precursors at different temperatures. Results show that, as the heat treatment temperature is 450 °C, the sandwich-like Ti₃C₂T_x@CoFe@TiO₂ nanocomposites present better EMW absorption properties. The minimum reflection loss (RL) value was ?62.9 dB at 17.95 GHz with a thin thickness of 1.2 mm. Moreover, the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) value was 5.02 GHz (12.74–17.76 GHz) with a thickness of 1.4 mm. The application of microwave-assisted annealing contributed to the formation of CoFe nanoparticles and TiO₂ nanoparticles because of the ultra-fast heating rate. The introduction of the nanoparticles enhanced the multiple polarization, optimized the impedance matching and introduced magnetic loss, leading to the improvement of EMW absorption. When the annealing temperature further increased to 550 °C, the EMW absorbing performance was weakened, which was mainly correlated with the decrement of the interface area due to the increase of the TiO₂ nanoparticle size and CoFe nanoparticle size. Thus, the loss effect of the multiple interface polarization weakens in the EMW absorption. In addition, the high permittivity of Ti₃C₂T_x disappears, which deteriorated the impedance matching and attenuation ability of EMW. Ultimately, sandwich-like Ti₃C₂T_x@CoFe@TiO₂ nanocomposite with satisfactory EMW absorbing properties is established, promising for various EMW absorbing applications.     

SiC network reinforced SiO2 aerogel with improved compressive strength and preeminent microwave absorption at elevated temperatures

Improved compressive strength and preeminent microwave absorbing properties are of great importance to meet the harsh requirements of the thermal environment. Herein, the SiC network reinforced SiO₂ aerogel composites were synthesized via the carbonation, chemical vapor deposition, and sol-gel process using melamine sponge as the precursor and carbon foam as the structural template, followed by a heat treatment in the elevated temperature range of 300–1200 °C. The results showed that the compressive performance was significantly enhanced as a superior compressive response of 3.46 MPa at 9.49 % strain was obtained owning to the strengthened SiC skeleton wrapped by the SiO₂ aerogel with the rising temperature. Besides, the composite after being warmed at 900 °C was provided with an efficient electromagnetic absorption capacity with a minimum reflection loss value of −55.38 dB at 16.56 GHz and a maximum effective frequency bandwidth of 8.16 GHz at 4.10 mm, resulting from the optimal attenuation constant as well as superior impedance matching ratio. Given the outstanding compressive strength and microwave absorbing characteristics, the aerogel composite has a good prospect in the complex electromagnetic fields.     

Comprehensive study of electromagnetic wave absorption properties of GdMnO3-MoSe2 hybrid composites

Recently, the public does not avoid the use of RF/microwave communication and non-communication devices, which means they will be constantly exposed to radiation from those devices, which will worsen their health in the long term, as well as there will be interference and coupling effects between devices. In this paper, a novel and high-performance absorber material is created and analyzed. The microscopic and macroscopic properties of Gadolinium Manganite (GdMnO₃), Molybdenum Diselenide (MoSe₂), and three mixtures of GdMnO₃-MoSe₂ (GdMo) with 20, 30, and 40% filler loading were investigated. The procedure for producing the five materials was explained and described in detail. The mixture of GdMo with 20, 30, and 40 wt% filler loading has the features of GdMnO₃ and MoSe₂. For macroscopic analysis, the measured relative complex permittivity and permeability of the five synthesized materials are modeled using the Lorentz dispersion model. Among the five study materials, GdMo with 40 wt% filler loading shows the highest electric and magnetic losses with loss tangent, tan δ_e ≈ 0.228 and tan δ_m ≈ 0.38 where the absorption performance is better compared to its pristine components, namely GdMnO₃ and MoSe₂. Based on the transmission theory of metal plate backing materials, the GdMo with 40 wt% filler loading and thicknesses ranging from 0.0014 m to 0.0021 m, which is terminated by a metal plate on the back side, exhibited the optimum microwave absorption performance with a minimum reflection loss value better than ?20 dB at X-band operating frequency. Without a metal backing, a 0.008 m thickness of GdMo with 40 wt% can achieve reflection loss, RL of ?10 dB from 9.2 GHz to 12.4 GHz, and RL of ?20 dB from 11.1 GHz to 12.4 GHz.     

Multilayer Ti3C2Tx: From microwave absorption to electromagnetic interference shielding

Ti₃C₂T_x MXene has attracted extensive attention in the field of electromagnetic (EM) protection over recent years. Multilayer Ti₃C₂T_x (M-Ti₃C₂T_x), as an intermediate product of MXene ultra-thin structure, has potential advantages in the field of EM protection. Herein, the M-Ti₃C₂T_x was obtained by HCl/LiF etching Ti₃AlC₂. The microwave absorption (MA) and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding performance of Ti₃AlC₂ and M-Ti₃C₂T_x were compared. The mechanism research of MA and EMI shielding indicates that the construction of local conductive network plays a leading role in the EM wave attenuation. The sample with 30% M-Ti₃C₂T_x display RL_min of ?50.26 dB, and corresponding bandwidth of 4.64 GHz at the thickness of 1.7 mm. Especially, the metastructure based on the EM parameters of M-Ti₃C₂T_x/wax exhibits ultra-wide bandwidth (15.54 GHz). Our research will provide a basis for the design of MXene-based EM protection performance.     

Lightweight and resilient SiOC/SiC foam with efficient electromagnetic wave absorption and high-temperature stability

Integrating multiple functions such as high electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption, thermal insulation, and resilience into one material is critical, especially for applications in harsh environment. SiC ceramic has received considerable attention as high-temperature wave absorber, but its applications are limited by common wave absorption performance and brittleness of ceramics. Here by incorporating SiO₂ with SiC in a unique three-dimensional network structure, SiOC/SiC foam consisting of abundant SiOC thin flakes interconnected by numerous long interweaving SiC nanowires have been prepared. The foam shows high EM wave absorption with minimum reflection loss of −30.23 dB, broad effective absorption bandwidth of 5.4 GHz, and a nearly complete compressive resilience from 10% strain. Besides, the foam displays high-temperature resistance up to 1400°C in air and good thermal insulation performance. Such multifunctional material is promising for applications in advanced aerospace industry under extreme conditions.     

High-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption of TiB2-SiCnws-SiOC synthesised using PDCs

A designed conductive nanoheterogeneous structure can boost interfacial polarisation and effectively enhance the wave absorption properties. Herein, maze-shaped nanoheterogeneous TiB₂-SiCnws-SiOC ceramics were synthesised via a polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) approach for constructing a three-dimensional reticular structure. The addition of TiB₂ not only compensates for the lower conductivity, but also facilitates the growth of curved SiCnws. The results show that the addition of 20 wt% TiB₂ leads to favourable microwave absorption performance, with a minimal reflection coefficient of − 55.1 dB at 8.9 GHz and an effective absorption bandwidth of 4.2 GHz. This can be ascribed to the synergistic effect among polarisation loss, conduction loss, and microwave multiple reflection and scattering due to the unique structure. This study may contribute towards establishing multi-loss mechanisms and controllable dielectric properties in PDCs.     

Lightweight and robust Ti3C2Tx/carbon nanotubes foam with tuneable and highly efficient microwave absorption performance

In this study, a lightweight and robust Ti₃C₂T_x/carbon nanotubes (CNTs) foam (TCF) was fabricated using HCl-induced self-assembly, followed by vacuum freeze-drying. The electrical conductivity and mechanical elasticity of the TCF was higher than those of monolithic Ti₃C₂T_x foams. This was ascribed to the incorporation of CNTs into Ti₃C₂T_x preventing the stacking of the Ti₃C₂T_x nanosheets and producing a well-developed three-dimensional honeycomb-like porous network structure, which considerably improved impedance matching, promoted multiple reflection loss, increased conduction loss and polarisation loss, thus imparting remarkable microwave absorption properties to the TCF. The 1.72 and 1.92 mm thick TCF samples with absorber loadings of 4 wt%, which were obtained by immersing TCF into molten paraffin, followed by cutting it into coaxial rings, presented an optimum reflection loss of ?48.8 dB and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.44 GHz, respectively. Moreover, upon increasing the thickness of the TCF samples from 1.52 to 4.92 mm, the EAB could be regulated from 4.16 to 18 GHz, respectively. In this study, we developed a facile method for fabricating a lightweight and robust TCF, which met the ‘light, thin, broad, and strong’ criteria and presented a broad EAB and remarkable dissipation capability, for microwave absorption materials.     

Microwave synthesis of worm-like SiC nanowires for thin electromagnetic wave absorbing materials

Thin thickness is always the pursuit of excellent electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. Herein, SiC nanowires with worm-like morphology were synthesized by microwave heating the mixture of expanded graphite and silica. The worm-like SiC nanowires exhibit an excellent microwave absorption ability at a thin thickness. With the filling ratio of SiC nanowires increases in the matrix, the dielectric loss and microwave absorbing ability are significantly enhanced; meanwhile the number of absorption peaks is gradually increased, and the absorption peaks also move toward a thinner thickness. When the nanowires filling ratio was 40?wt%, the minimum reflection loss reached down to ?35.2?dB and the effective absorption (RL?<??10?dB) bandwidth was 1.8?GHz?at a thickness of 1.3?mm. The possible growth mechanism of the worm-like SiC nanowires is that the intermediate reaction gas phases, SiO and CO, were confined in the relatively independent tiny pores of expanded graphite. This resulting in an excessive local gas phase pressure, which causes the nanowire growth direction changes randomly.     

Preparation and properties of polyimide/carbon nanotube composite films with electromagnetic wave absorption performance

The polyimide (PI)/carbon nanotube (CNT) films including 3,3′,4,4′-biphenyl tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BPDA), p-phenylenediamine (p-PDA), and CNTs were prepared, which have prominent electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption performance. Experimental analyses of the mechanical properties, thermal stabilities, coefficient of thermal expansion (CTE), the glass transition temperature (T_g), and EM parameter revealed the beneficial effects of the CNTs on the resulting composite films. In particular, when the content of CNTs is 6 wt%, the film shows the highest EM wave absorption performance, which exhibits the effective absorption bandwidth of 2.72 GHz with the matching thickness of only 2.0 mm. These results indicate that PI-based films have a certain potential application in the area of EM wave-absorbing materials.     

Effects of Ni2+, Zr4+, or Ti4+ doping on the electromagnetic and microwave absorption properties of CaMnO3 particles

Although CaMnO₃ has been widely studied and used for its thermoelectric properties and giant magnetoresistance effect, little information exists about its application for microwave absorption. In this study, we synthesized CaMnO₃, CaNi_0.05Mn_0.95O₃ CaTi_0.05Mn_0.95O₃ and CaZr_0.05Mn_0.95O₃ with an orthorhombic system using a simple high-temperature solid-phase method. The minimum reflection loss value and effective absorption bandwidth could be efficiently improved due to the enhanced match complex permittivity produced after the Ni, Ti or Zr ions were substituted for Mn ions in CaMnO₃. The minimum reflection loss value increases to ?39.7 dB from ?14.1 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth increases to 4.9 GHz from 2.7 GHz. The magnetic loss results only in a negligible influence on the microwave absorption. The enhancement of microwave absorption properties was primarily due to the stronger polarization effect. When Ni²⁺, Ti⁴⁺, or Zr⁴⁺ is introduced in the CaMnO₃ lattice, the charge balance is broken, and the crystal lattice distortion increases because of the substitutive ions, interstitial ions, oxygen vacancy and exchange effect of Mn³⁺~Mn⁴⁺. The results indicate that CaMnO₃ with reasonable doping at the Mn-site could achieve excellent microwave properties of wide bandwidth, high-efficiency absorption, and adjustable response frequency.     

The microstructure and electromagnetic wave absorption properties of near-stoichiometric SiC fibre

The microstructure and electromagnetic (EM) properties of near-stoichiometric SiC fibres (with C/Si ratio of 1.125) were analyzed and evaluated in detail. The SiC fibres consisted of β-SiC nanocrystallines and free carbon, and exhibited a uniquely specific skin-core structure with thin carbon layer of 5 nm on their surfaces. The relative complex permittivity increased with the increasing fibre volume fraction from 13 vol% to 27.5 vol%. The imaginary part of permittivity increased from 1.36 to 2.13 at 10 GHz, due to more SiC nanocrystallines and interfaces generating. The EM wave absorption properties were enhanced by the increasing fibre volume fraction and the effective absorption bandwidth was approximately 2.6 GHz when the fibre volume fraction was 27.5 vol%.     

Broadband electromagnetic absorption of Ti3C2Tx MXene/WS2 composite via constructing two-dimensional heterostructure

Ti₃C₂T_x MXene, an emerging two-dimensional (2D) ceramic material, has rich interfaces and strong conductive networks. Herein, we have successfully built a heterostructure between Ti₃C₂T_x MXene and WS₂ to improve electromagnetic absorption performance. X-ray diffraction and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy were used to determine the successful synthesis of Ti₃C₂T_x/WS₂ composite. Field emission scanning electron microscopy and transmission electron microscopy images show that WS₂ nanosheets are evenly dispersed on the accordion-like Ti₃C₂T_x MXene. Importantly, Ti₃C₂T_x MXene/WS₂ composite has sufficiently high dielectric loss and impedance matching due to self-adjusting conductivity and 2D heterostructure interfaces. As a result, the Ti₃C₂T_x/WS₂ composite has a minimum reflection loss (RL_min) of −61.06 dB at 13.28 GHz. Besides, it has a broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.5 GHz, with EAB >5.0 GHz covering a wide range of thickness. Such impressive results may provide experience for the application of Ti₃C₂T_x ceramics and 2D materials.     

Enhanced high temperature microwave absorption of La0.9Sr0.1MnO3/MgAl2O4 composite ceramics based on controllable electrical conductivity

The high temperature microwave absorbing efficiency (HTMAE) of xLa_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃/(1 − x)MgAl₂O₄ composite ceramics was investigated by studying the crystal structure, electrical conductivity, and permittivity. The crystal structure of La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ and MgAl₂O₄ were maintained, but the Mn³⁺ and Al³⁺ ions were exchanged with each other through doping. The conductivity and permittivity of the composite ceramics increased with the increase of La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ content and test temperature. When x = 0.36, the electrical conductivity in La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃ significantly enhanced the microwave polarization of the composite ceramics at high temperature. According to transmission/reflection modelling, the composite ceramics with x = 0.24 showed excellent HTMAE near the optimal thickness of 1.8 mm. Although the optimal thickness of the composite with x = 0.36 was reduced to 1.1 mm, the HTMAE was seriously lessened due to an impedance mismatch. xLa_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃/(1 − x)MgAl₂O₄ are promising as thin and efficient microwave absorbing materials at high temperatures and the microwave permittivity can be further enhanced by adjusting the conductivity of La_0.9Sr_0.1MnO₃.     

A novel ZrB2-based composite manufactured with Ti3AlC2 additive

A novel ZrB₂–Ti₃AlC₂ composite was densified using spark plasma sintering at 1900 °C under pressure of 30 MPa for 7 min. The effect of Ti₃AlC₂ MAX phase on the densification behavior, microstructural evolutions, phase arrangement, and mechanical properties of the composite were investigated. The phase analysis and microstructural studies revealed the decomposition of the MAX phase at the initial steps of the SPS process. The structural characteristics and surface morphology of the in-situ synthesized reinforcements were verified using X-ray diffraction and scanning electron microscopy, respectively. The formation mechanism of each reinforcement phase was also investigated using thermodynamical assessments. The prepared ZrB₂–Ti₃AlC₂ composite not only possessed a near fully-dense characteristic having an excellent hardness of 31 GPa, but also unexpectedly presented high fracture toughness. The indentation fracture toughness of the composite was calculated as 7.8 MPa m^1/2, which is unprecedented compared with the same class of hard ZrB₂-based composites. Indeed, the superior mechanical properties of the composite achieved in this study was obtained by the homogenous distribution of Al-based reinforcements, formation of hard interfacial ZrC grains, and solid solutions provided by Ti-based phases. The correlations between the phase arrangement, microstructure, and the attained mechanical properties of the composite were comprehensively discussed.     

Ti3SiC2及其复合材料的研究现状及发展趋势

介绍了Ti3SiC2陶瓷材料的微观结构与性能,认为该材料良好的综合性能有望解决陶瓷材料的脆性问题.并概述了Ti3SiC2及Ti3SiC2基复合材料各种制备方法的特点和研究状况、应用前景和发展趋势.     

Tailoring microwave absorption bandwidth of SiCN based composite ceramic fibers by tuning the embedding ratio of Ni3Si

In order to expand the application prospects of SiCN ceramics in the field of microwave (MW) absorption materials, a series of Ni₃Si embedded SiCN ceramic fibers composites (NSF) were prepared by controlling Ni conversion rate through the electrospinning technique and polymer derivation, with the intention of improving the impedance matching degree, enhancing the conductivity and polarization, and further promoting the dielectric loss ability and MW absorption performance of ceramic materials. The microstructure, phase composition, conductivity, MW absorption properties and mechanism of the material were analyzed by a variety of characterization methods. The results show that NSF exhibited high dielectric loss efficiency and desirable effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) when the conversion rate of Ni was 0.5 wt%: The MW of the entire Ku band (12–18 GHz, 6 GHz) could be effectively absorbed by the sample with a thickness of 2.64 mm, and its EAB could cover 6–18 GHz by adjusting its thickness from 1 mm to 5 mm, so its performance is significantly superior to a number of similar SiCN based composite ceramic materials previously reported. To sum up, the NSF prepared in this work exhibits suitable impedance matching degree, good conductivity, obvious polarization effect, excellent dielectric loss ability, and gratifying EAB in MW, and it is expected to become a powerful candidate in the field of broadband MW absorption materials in the future.     

3D printed SiC nanowire reinforced composites for broadband electromagnetic absorption

SiC nanowire/acrylic resin (SiC_nw/ACR) composites with broadband electromagnetic (EM) absorption capabilities were fabricated by a novel procedure using 3D stereolithography (3D-SL) printing technology. The EM absorption abilities of the composites can be adjusted by tuning the SiC_nw content and the thickness of the printing layer. When the SiC_nw content is 3?wt% and the thickness of the printing layer is 25?μm–50?μm, the SiC_nw/ACR composite has an optimally broad effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) and a high efficiency for EM absorption, whether assessing the C, X or Ku band, because of the high dielectric loss and proper impedance matching between the materials and free space. In the C band (4–8?GHz), the EAB reaches 2.9?GHz, and the reflection loss (RL) reaches ?34.1?dB; in the X band (8–12?GHz), the EAB reaches 4?GHz, which covers the entire X band, and the RL reaches ?34.5?dB; in the Ku band (12–18?GHz), the EAB exceeds 6?GHz, which covers the whole Ku band, and the RL reaches ?34.7?dB. This research is of great importance to the rapid preparation of parts, shells or devices with arbitrarily complex shapes and high efficiency broadband EM absorption abilities.