Abstract
Oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB) fiber/polylactic acid (PLA)-based composites filled with 6–22 wt.% multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) were prepared using a melt blend method. The composites were analyzed using X-ray diffraction (XRD), Fourier transforms infrared (FTIR), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM), and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the MWCNTs. The composites were characterized for complex permittivity using the coaxial probe at 8–12 GHz range and the transmission/reflection coefficients were measured through micro strip line. The dielectric permittivity measurements carried out at X-band frequency revealed that 22 wt.% MWCNTs nanocomposite display higher dielectric constant () and dielectric loss () values of 4.23 and 0.65, respectively. A maximum absorption loss of 15.2 dB was obtained for the 22 wt.% nanocomposites at 11.75 GHz. This result suggests that PLA/OPEFB/MWCNTs composites are a promising cheap and lightweight material for the effective microwave absorption in the X-band frequency range.
Highlights
The shielding and absorption of electromagnetic (EM) waves from interference continually attract significant interest in both defense and industrial purposes
The oil palm empty fruit bunch (OPEFB), polylactic acid (PLA), multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs), and OPEFB/PLA/MWCNTs composites were characterized to study the effect of MWCNTs on the OPEFB-PLA composites crystallinity
The results show that the complex permittivity permittivity of OPEFB/PLA composites can be significantly increased by the addition of MWCNTs
Summary
The shielding and absorption of electromagnetic (EM) waves from interference continually attract significant interest in both defense and industrial purposes. RAMs are being used to modify electromagnetic radiation by absorption and heat dissipation and some supporting environmental safety applications, darkroom microwaves, radar stealth, etc. A good EM radiation absorbing material should possess low weight, low thickness, low cost, high mechanical resistance, durability, and microwave absorption properties over a wide frequency range [5]. In this aspect, an electrically conductive composite polymer matrix is widely studied as an effective RAM. The magnetic absorbers have some disadvantages, such as thinner matching thickness, higher weight, weaker high-frequency absorption characteristics compared with dielectric ones [6,7]. Carbonaceous solids which may be either synthetic or natural have received considerable interest in microwave absorber development due to their outstanding electrical properties
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