Silicone Rubber- BaBiLiTeO6 Composites: Flexible Microwave Substrates for 5G Applications

This work illustrates broadband dielectric response, design, fabrication and testing of a microstrip patch antenna based on flexible silicone rubber-BaBiLiTeO6 composites. The composites were fabricated by hot pressing silicone rubber and low-loss BaBiLiTeO6 ceramics. Phase purity, thermal stability and morphology of the composites were studied using X-ray diffraction, thermogravimetric analysis and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The dielectric response of the composites were investigated from 1 MHz to 26 GHz to test their applicability in 5G communication systems. The relative permittivity and dielectric loss of the composite vary between 6-8 and 0.02-0.05, respectively, for 0.25 V-f of the ceramics from 1 MHz to 26 GHz. The observed relative permittivity is compared with various theoretical models, and the Jayasundere-Smith relation provides a better match for epsilon(r). A stable dielectric response is observed even after several bending cycles of the composite. As the volume fraction of BaBiLiTeO6 ceramics increases from 0 to 0.25, thermal conductivity and diffusivity of the composites increases, whereas the coefficient of thermal expansion and specific heat capacity decreases. A microstrip patch antenna that can radiate at 2.48 GHz with a return loss of -13.2 dB was designed and optimized using high-frequency structure simulator (HFSS) software. The physical and chemical properties of silicone rubber-BaBiLiTeO6 composites indicate that this material is a candidate for flexible components in microwave communication devices.

Automated summary

This study presents the design and fabrication of a broadband microstrip patch antenna based on flexible silicone rubber-BaBiLiTeO6 composites. The dielectric response and properties of the composites were investigated, and the results suggest that this material is suitable for flexible components in microwave communication devices.