Tailoring complex permittivity and permeability to enhance microwave absorption properties of FeCo alloy particles through adjusting hydrazine reduction process parameters

Abstract

Owing to their high permeability, metallic soft magnetic materials exhibit high potential as microwave absorbers. The great challenge in designing desirable absorption properties from these materials is their large electrical permittivity at microwave frequencies. So, decreasing their permittivity within acceptable limits while keeping permeability at sufficiently high or improved levels is considered an important requirement for matching impedance and obtaining excellent electromagnetic (EM) absorption properties. In the present research, FeCo alloy particles produced employing by a simple wet chemical reduction process with the intention of investigating dependence of their EM properties on synthesis parameters. The characterizations were done with the help of x-ray diffraction (XRD) and field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM). The intrinsic EM properties (εr, μr) in a frequency range of 2–18 GHz were measured by a vector network analyzer (VNA) for the paraffin composites containing obtained products. The results indicated that the concentration of NaOH and metallic salts as the synthesis precursors can tune the permittivity and permeability. Under optimum conditions, bandwidths of 7.3 and 5.5 GHz with thicknesses of only 1.2 and 1.5 mm were obtained respectively. Also, Reflection loss (RL) of −45 dB was attained. The excellent EM absorption properties demonstrated that the synthesized FeCo alloy may be an ideal absorber having both a wide absorption bandwidth and a low thickness.