Ni filled flexible multi-walled carbon nanotube-polystyrene composite films as efficient microwave absorbers

In this letter, we report flexible, non corrosive, and light weight nickel nanoparticle@multi-walled carbon nanotube-polystyrene (Ni@MWCNT/PS) composite films as microwave absorbing material in the frequency range of S band (2-4 GHz). Dielectric permittivity and magnetic permeability of composites having 0.5 and 1.5 wt. % filler amount were measured using the cavity perturbation technique. Reflection loss maxima of -33 dB (at 2.7 GHz) and -24 dB (at 2.7 GHz) were achieved for 0.5 and 1.5 wt. % Ni@MWCNT/PS composite films of 6 and 4 mm thickness, respectively, suggesting that low concentrations of filler provide significant electromagnetic interference shielding. (C) 2011 American Institute of Physics. [doi:10.1063/1.3638462]