Microwave absorption of sandwich structure based on nanocrystalline SrFe12O19, Ni0.5ZnO.5Fe2O4 and alpha-Fe hollow microfibers.

ABSTRACT

The microwave absorption properties of sandwich structural absorbers based on the nanocrystalline strontium ferrite (SrFe12O19), NiZn ferrite (Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4) and alpha-iron (alpha-Fe) hollow microfibers with diameters of 1-3 microm have been investigated in the frequency range of 2-18 GHz. The sandwich absorbers composed of nanocrystalline ferrite hollow microfibers as the outer or inner layer, and the nanocrystalline alpha-Fe hollow microfibers as the interlayer, have strong microwave absorption with a broad band and thin thickness. Their microwave absorption properties in 2-18 GHz are mainly influenced by the arrangement, each layer thickness and total thickness. It finds that the sandwich absorber with 1.6 mm thick SrFe12O19 microfibers as the outer layer, 0.2 mm thick alpha-Fe microfibers as the interlayer and 0.2 mm thick Ni0.5Zn0.5Fe2O4 microfibers as the inner layer, exhibits an optimal reflection loss (RL) value of -120.1 dB at 13.2 GHz and the bandwidth with RL exceeding -10 dB covers 83% of X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) and the whole K(u)-band (12.4-18 GHz). This enhancement microwave absorption can be attributed to the unique coupling of the nanocrystalline ferrite and alpha-Fe hollow microfibers arising from the shape anisotropy, interface and small size effects.