Microwave absorption properties of PANI/CIP/Fe3O4 composites

The PANI/carbonyl iron powders (CIP)/Fe3O4 composite was synthesized by mechanical mixing PANI/CIP composite with PANI/Fe3O4 composite with mass ratio of 7:3. The electromagnetic (EM) properties of these composites were studied at 0.5-18 GHz. Compared with PANI/CIP and PANI/Fe3O4 composites, the PANI/CIP/Fe3O4 composites show enhanced EM wave absorption at high frequency range, and the maximum reflection loss is -48.3 dB at 9.6 GHz with a thickness of 1.76 mm. There is no obvious chemical interaction happened during mixing, which retains the magnetic properties of PANI/CIP and PANI/Fe3O4 components. While the conducting channels of the PANI coatings and the metal-polymer interfaces are partly destroyed, which reduces the permittivity and improves the impedance match, hence results in good EM wave absorption for PANI/CIP/Fe3O4 composite. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.