Synthesis and microwave absorbing properties of γ-Fe2O3–SiO2–poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) core–shell–shell nanocomposites

Abstract

The three-layer core–shell–shell γ-Fe2O3–SiO2–poly (3,4-ethylenedioxythiophene) (PEDOT) nanocomposite has been successfully synthesized by a facile chemical process followed by a detailed investigation of morphology, composition, electromagnetic, and microwave absorption properties. The electrical conductivity of γ-Fe2O3–SiO2–PEDOT nanocomposites was as high as 3.34 S cm−1, and the saturation magnetization was in the range of 1–7 emu g−1. The minimum reflection loss reached −27.5 dB at 13.8 GHz with a matching layer thickness of 2.0 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth (< −10 dB) of about 4.1 GHz (12.0–16.1 GHz). The excellent microwave absorbing performance of this nanocomposite is due to proper impedance matching and the synergistic interaction of dielectric loss, the magnetic loss, and core–shell microstructure. Moreover, the electromagnetic and microwave absorbing properties of γ-Fe2O3–SiO2–PEDOT nanocomposites can be regulated by changing the dosage of functionalized γ-Fe2O3–SiO2.