Broadband microwave absorption performance and theoretical dielectric properties model of hollow porous carbon spheres/expanded polypropylene composite foams

Hollow porous carbon spheres (HPCS)/Expanded polypropylene (EPP) composite foams were prepared by rapid expansion of supercritical solution and steam chest molding. Due to the uniform and continuous foam structure, HPCS/EPP foams can maintain better loss ability at lower permittivity. Excellent impedance matching enables them to achieve ultra-broad absorption bandwidth of over 17 GHz. Furthermore, the high frequency dielectric properties of HPCS/EPP foams with unique dual percolation microstructure were described by the Two Exponent Phenomenological Percolation Equation (TEPPE) in a two-step framework. It was revealed that the fitting values of the complex permittivity of the foams with different expansion ratios are in good agreement with the experimental values in the frequency band from 0.5 to 18 GHz. This work introduces a new approach for predicting and optimizing the electromagnetic properties of ternary foamed composites.

Automated summary

The study introduced a new method for preparing HPCS/EPP composite foams with ultra-broad absorption bandwidth and excellent impedance matching capability. The high frequency dielectric properties of the foams with unique dual percolation microstructure were described using a two-step framework. Experimental results showed promising applications of this method for predicting and optimizing electromagnetic properties.