Barium hexaferrite reinforced polymeric dye composite coatings for radar absorbing applications

Abstract

Radar is an electronic and electromagnetic system that uses radio waves to detect and locate objects. Against this system, especially for certain military applications focused on defence and security, radar absorbing materials are required. There are many advanced techniques used for absorbing optimisation. In this study barium hexaferrite was used to produce a radar absorbing composite material. In this sense, an epoxy dye was converted to a radar absorbing coating. Barium hexaferrite powders produced by means of sol–gel method were added to a polymer matrix (dye) with different loading levels to see the concentration dependence of particles' radar absorbing effect. Different types of samples were prepared by coating glass substrates with a polymer matrix loaded with various amount of barium hexaferrites. Samples were characterized by Fourier Transform Infrared (FTIR) and Scanning Electron Microscope‐Energy Dispersive Spectroscopy (SEM‐EDS). Under applied magnetic field, the produced composites exhibited the hysteresis loops of the ferromagnetic behavior with vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM). The saturation magnetization and coercivity of nanocomposites were obtained. In addition, radar absorbing test were applied as a primary objective of this research with a network analyzer. It was concluded that the barium hexaferrite reinforced composites have electromagnetic properties which indicates potential application in high performance adsorbing materials and it was indicated that increasing barium hexaferrite powder amount in the composites leads to increase radar absorbing performance. POLYM. COMPOS., 35:602–610, 2014. © 2013 Society of Plastics Engineers