High Efficiency Microwave Absorption Performance of Cobalt Ferrite Microspheres/multi-walled Carbon Nanotube Composites

Abstract

In this article, spinel ferrite CoFe2O4 and multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) composites are constructed by a facile one-step solvothermal method. The pure phase of CoFe2O4 particles is confirmed by X-ray diffraction patterns. Microstructure analysis demonstrates that monodisperse CoFe2O4 microspheres are wound by MWCNTs. By the introduction of CNTs, there is a significant enhancement in the imaginary part of permittivity (ε″) with the composites. The champion microwave absorption performance can be achieved in the composites by the balance of complex permittivity and permeability. When the mass fraction of CNTs is 3%, a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of the composites is as high as -46.65 dB at 14.4 GHz at a thin thickness of 1.5 mm, and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth below − 10 dB reaches 4.91 GHz ranging from 12.41 to 17.32 GHz which covers almost the whole Ku band (12.0–18.0 GHz). In other words, this as-synthesized composites show the most outstanding specific RLmin of -31.1 dB•mm− 1. Such superior microwave absorption behaviors of CoFe2O4/CNTs originate mainly from multiple dielectric relaxation processes, enhanced impedance matching and magnetic loss, as well as the considerable interface between mesoporous CoFe2O4 hollow microspheres and CNTs, and thereby promoting microwave reflection and scattering within the samples. Our results indicate that as-fabricated CoFe2O4/CNTs composites can be a promising microwave absorbent integrating with thin thickness, strong absorption ability, and broad bandwidth absorption.