Metal organic frameworks-derived iron carbide/ferroferric oxide/carbon/reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite with excellent electromagnetic wave absorption properties

In this work, iron carbide/ferroferric oxide/carbon/reduced graphene oxide (Fe2C/Fe3O4/C/RGO) nanocomposite was fabricated through a facile solvothermal self-assembly and subsequent pyrolysis two-step strategy. Results of micromorphology and structure analysis showed that carbon frameworks displayed unique octahedral structure, and numerous Fe2C and Fe3O4 nanoparticles with an average size ca. 29 nm were evenly attached on the wrinkled and porous surfaces of flake-like RGO. Moreover, the influences of filler contents on the electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption properties of as-synthesized quaternary nanocomposite were carefully examined. Significantly, the obtained quaternary nanocomposite with a low filler content of 20 wt.% exhibited the integrated optimal EMW absorption capacity, i.e. the minimum reflection loss was -60 dB at 10.8 GHz (X-band), and broad absorption bandwidth reached 5.0 GHz at 1.8 mm. Meanwhile, the reflection loss values were all less than -20 dB with matching thicknesses changing from 1.8 to 5.0 mm. Besides, when the filler content was 25 wt.%, the wider absorption bandwidth of 5.8 GHz was achieved with the same thickness of 1.8 mm. The possible EMW absorption mechanisms were further proposed. Therefore, the as-fabricated nanocomposite could be exploited as promising light-weight and high-efficient absorbers in the field of EMW absorption.

Automated summary

A novel Fe2C/Fe3O4/C/RGO nanocomposite with optimized filler content demonstrated outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption properties, showing minimal reflection loss at -60 dB at 10.8 GHz and a broad absorption bandwidth of 5.0 GHz in the X-band. The fabricated nanocomposite could be promising lightweight and high-efficient absorbers in the field of EMW absorption.