In-situ construction of Cr2O3@ATO hybrid pigment towards synergetic enhancement of visible light-infrared-radar compatible stealth

Abstract

Multiband compatible stealth engineering with controllable visible light-infrared (VIS-IR) features and radar wave absorption is urgently needed to improve the survivability of advanced military equipment. Cr2O3 has good visible light stealth performance under green background, but it is lack of IR and radar multi-band stealth properties. Herein, a core-shelled Cr2O3@stannic antimony oxide (ATO) structure was developed to enhance the IR-radar compatible stealth properties of Cr2O3 by in-situ precipitation method, concurrently maintaining its visible light stealth property. The morphology, conductivity, and infrared stealth properties of the Cr2O3@ATO hybrids were influenced by the calcination temperature, and the IR and radar stealth performance were tunable by ATO content. The lowest emissivity of Cr2O3@ATO pigments is 0.852, reduced by 10% than pure Cr2O3. The Cr2O3@ATO filled silicone resin coatings possessed good thermal stability and IR stealth stability. Benefiting from the enhanced interfacial polarization and conductive loss, the Cr2O3@ATO exhibited an effective absorption bandwidth of 2 GHz in the X band, with respect to pure Cr2O3 without radar absorption property. The Cr2O3@ATO structure opens an avenue for advanced VIS-IR-Radar compatible stealth materials.