Carbon nanotubes decorated FeNi/nitrogen-doped carbon composites for lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave absorption

Magnetic-dielectric component modulation and heterogeneous interface engineering were considered as an effective strategy for designing lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbors. Herein, a series of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated core-shell nitrogen-doped carbon (CNTs/FeNi/NC) composites were successfully fabricated via the carbonization of CNTs/NiFe 2 O 4 /PDA precursors obtained by hydrothermal and polymerization method. The EMW absorption (EMWA) properties of CNTs/FeNi/NC composites were explored by varying the CNTs content. When the CNTs content was 15%, the minimum reflection loss (RL min ) value was -51.13 dB at 9.52 GHz and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) value was 2.96 GHz (8.96-11.12 GHz) at 2.5 mm. Particularly, the maximum EAB value can reach up to 4.64 GHz (12.80-17.4 4 GHz) at 1.7 mm. The excellent EMW attenuation capability resulted from the enhanced conductive loss, polarization loss, magnetic loss, and improved impedance matching. This work offers a novel reference for designing lightweight and broadband EMWA materials.& COPY; 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.

Automated summary

Magnetic-dielectric component modulation and heterogeneous interface engineering were utilized to design lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbors. By fabricating carbon nanotubes decorated core-shell nitrogen-doped carbon composites, excellent EMW absorption properties were achieved, including a minimum reflection loss value of -51.13 dB at 9.52 GHz and an effective absorption bandwidth value of 2.96 GHz (8.96-11.12 GHz) at 2.5 mm. The maximum effective absorption bandwidth reached 4.64 GHz (12.80-17.44 GHz) at 1.7 mm, showcasing the superior performance of the composites in EMW attenuation.