Architecting 2D (LaBa2Fe3O8.55)0.3333 nanosheets using the modified sol-gel method and evaluation of their microwave, magnetic, and optical performance

Abstract

The aim of this study was preparation of 2D (LaBa2Fe3O8.55)0.3333 nanosheets by the modified sol-gel route using the glucose as a novel precursor as well as evaluation of their microwave absorbing characteristics using the silicone rubber as an absorbing medium. The tailored nanoparticles were investigated using x-ray powder diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), fourier transform infrared (FT-IR), diffuse reflection spectroscopy (DRS), vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), vector network analyzer (VNA). As demonstrated by the VNA results, the (LaBa2Fe3O8.55)0.3333/silicone rubber nanocomposite absorbed 50.71 dB at 13.7 GHz with a thickness of 1.5 mm while absorbed >2.66 GHz more than 20 dB and >6.36 GHz more than 10 dB along the x and ku-band with 2.0 mm in thickness. Interestingly, the effective bandwidth (>10 dB) of the (LaBa2Fe3O8.55)0.3333/silicone rubber nanocomposite was >4.71 GHz with 1.25–2.50 mm in thicknesses at the x and ku-band frequency. In this study, a novel, promising, thin, and broadband microwave absorbing nanostructure was designed.