Compositional and Hollow Engineering of Silicon Carbide/Carbon Microspheres as High-Performance Microwave Absorbing Materials with Good Environmental Tolerance

doi:10.1007/s40820-024-01369-6

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Abstract

Microwave absorbing materials (MAMs) characterized by high absorption efficiency and good environmental tolerance are highly desirable in practical applications. Both silicon carbide and carbon are considered as stable MAMs under some rigorous conditions, while their composites still fail to produce satisfactory microwave absorption performance regardless of the improvements as compared with the individuals. Herein, we have successfully implemented compositional and structural engineering to fabricate hollow SiC/C microspheres with controllable composition. The simultaneous modulation on dielectric properties and impedance matching can be easily achieved as the change in the composition of these composites. The formation of hollow structure not only favors lightweight feature, but also generates considerable contribution to microwave attenuation capacity. With the synergistic effect of composition and structure, the optimized SiC/C composite exhibits excellent performance, whose the strongest reflection loss intensity and broadest effective absorption reach − 60.8 dB and 5.1 GHz, respectively, and its microwave absorption properties are actually superior to those of most SiC/C composites in previous studies. In addition, the stability tests of microwave absorption capacity after exposure to harsh conditions and Radar Cross Section simulation data demonstrate that hollow SiC/C microspheres from compositional and structural optimization have a bright prospect in practical applications.

Key words： SiC/C composites Compositional engineering Hollow engineering Microwave absorption Environmental tolerance

Received: 28 November 2023 Published: 02 April 2024

Corresponding Authors: Yahui Wang, Yunchen Du

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	Lixue Gai
	Yahui Wang
	Pan Wan
	Shuping Yu
	Yongzheng Chen
	Xijiang Han
	Ping Xu
	Yunchen Du

Cite this article:

Lixue Gai,Yahui Wang,Pan Wan, et al. Compositional and Hollow Engineering of Silicon Carbide/Carbon Microspheres as High-Performance Microwave Absorbing Materials with Good Environmental Tolerance[J]. Nano-Micro Letters, 2024, 16(1): 167-.

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https://www.qk.sjtu.edu.cn/nml/EN/10.1007/s40820-024-01369-6 OR https://www.qk.sjtu.edu.cn/nml/EN/Y2024/V16/I1/167

Fig. 1 a Preparation mechanism diagram of SiC/C composites. b SEM images, c-d TEM images and e the corresponding element mapping images of PR@SiO2/PR-3. f-g SEM images and h-i TEM images of SiO2/C-3. j-m TEM images with different pyrolysis temperature (250, 350, 450, and 550 °C) of SiO2/C-3

Fig. 2 Low-magnification SEM images of a SiC/C-1, b SiC/C-2, c SiC/C-3, and d SiC/C-4, and the insets are the corresponding statistical distribution of diameters. e-f High-magnification SEM images of SiC/C-3. g-h TEM images of SiC/C-3. I-k The corresponding element mapping images and l HR-TEM image of SiC/C-3

Fig. 3 a XRD patterns, b FT-IR spectra, c-e XPS survey spectra, and f TG curves (Inset is the calculated contents of carbon), g Raman spectra, h N2 adsorption-desorption isotherms, and i the histograms of BET surface areas and pore volumes of SiC/C composites

Fig. 4 2D RL mapping of a SiC/C-2, b SiC/C-3 and c SiC/C-4. RL curves below -10 dB at given absorber thickness of d SiC/C-2, e SiC/C-3 and f SiC/C-4. g The frequency dependence of RLmin and EAB values of all samples with the optimal thicknesses. h Comparison of RLmin values and i EABs among previously reported silicon carbide and carbon related MAMs

Fig. 5 Frequency-dependent a εr' curves, b εr" curves, c dielectric loss tangent (tanδe), d fitted conductivity loss, e fitted polarization loss, f conductivity values, g α curves of SiC/C composites. h 2D |Δ| map and i schematic illustration for the microwave absorption mechanisms of SiC/C-3

Fig. 6 2D RL maps for a T = 373 K, b pH = 8.5, and c pH = 5.6. RL curves below -10 dB at given absorber thickness for d T = 373 K, e pH = 8.5, and f pH = 5.6. g 3D radar wave scattering signals of PEC and h PEC coated with SiC/C-3. i RCS simulated curves and k RCS in polar coordinate system of PEC and l PEC plate coated with SiC/C-3 at 14.0 GHz. j RCS reduction values of PEC and PEC coated with different SiC/C composites

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