High-performance
superhydrophobic electromagnetic (EM) wave-absorbing
materials are critically significant for their practical application
in harsh environments, especially in high-humidity conditions. Herein,
a CeFe2O4/GO hybrid was successfully constructed
via a facile hydrothermal method, which was then combined with polydimethylsiloxane
(PDMS) to achieve the synergistic effect of outstanding EM wave absorption
ability and superhydrophobicity. The structure and composition of
the prepared hybrid were confirmed with the help of scanning electron
microscopy, X-ray diffraction, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and
thermogravimetric analysis. Meanwhile, a vector network analyzer was
used for assessing the microwave absorbing performance of the fabricated
composite. Eventually, the CeFe2O4/GO hybrid
exhibited a minimum reflection loss (RL) of −57 dB at 15.2
GHz with an adequate absorption bandwidth of 5.2 GHz. Furthermore,
the superhydrophobic PDMS/CeFe2O4/GO nanocomposite
was synthesized using a facile mechanical mixing method, and the water
contact angle of the nanocomposite with a ratio of 5:1 (CeFe2O4/GO/PDMS) could reach 164°. Simultaneously, the
nanocomposite shows a stable EM wave absorption ability that the PDMS/CeFe2O4/GO achieved the minimum RL of −52 dB
with an absorption bandwidth of 2.1 GHz. This work provides a feasible
way to deal with the EM pollution in the outdoor environment, which
may open up viable prospects for developing multifunctional microwave-absorbing
materials.