In-situ growth of wafer-like Ti3C2/Carbon nanoparticle hybrids with excellent tunable electromagnetic absorption performance

Abstract

A novel kind of wafer-like Ti3C2/Carbon nanoparticle (Ti3C2/Cnp) hybrids electromagnetic (EM) wave absorbing agent with enhanced polarization loss has been designed and synthesized by in-situ growth of carbon nanoparticles (Cnps) between the layers of two-dimensional Ti3C2Tx MXenes according to the gradient EM loss and impedance matching design principles. The growth of Cnps between Ti3C2 layers takes use of the layered structure of two-dimensional MXenes to form a large number of heterogeneous interfaces, which makes the polarization loss of this hybrid absorbing agent 10% higher than that of Ti3C2Tx MXenes. The Cnps and TiO2 particles produced during hydrothermal process together with Ti3C2 form a gradient loss model containing high dielectric loss phase (Cnp), intermediate dielectric loss phase (Ti3C2) and transmission phase (TiO2). This unique structure can further enhance the EM wave attenuation ability of Ti3C2Tx MXenes by improving the impedance matching. The Ti3C2/Cnp hybrids mixed with paraffin at 50 wt% demonstrate an optimal minimum reflection coefficient (RCmin) of −47.6 dB at 11.10 GHz with a thickness of 1.75 mm. This wafer-like Ti3C2/Cnp hybrids provide an ideal choice for the design of MXenes-based absorbing agents with excellent tunable EM absorption performance.