Fabrication of multi-defect Fe/Fe3O4/SiO2@C heterostructure nanofibers to enhance microwave absorption performance
摘要
Developing microwave absorbing materials that simultaneously achieve excellent impedance matching and strong absorption capability remains a significant challenge. In this study, Fe/Fe3O4/SiO2@CNFs (FFSC) composite fibers were designed to integrate both dielectric loss and magnetic mechanisms, thereby enabling efficient microwave absorption. Mesoporous SiO2 was prepared via the phase separation method, and Fe2O3 was modified onto the SiO2 surface through a hydrothermal process. Using electrospinning, the obtained Fe2O3@SiO2 nanoparticles were uniformly embedded inside the PAN nanofibers of approximately 400 nm. Subsequent carbonization converts PAN into carbon nanofibers (CNFs) and reduces Fe3+ to Fe and Fe3O4, producing the Fe/Fe3O4/SiO2@CNFs composite. The three-dimensional conductive network formed among the CNFs substantially enhances electron mobility. The abundance of defects, vacancies, and heterogeneous interfaces within the Fe, Fe3O4, mesoporous SiO2 nanoparticles, and carbon fibers facilitates the polarization relaxation. Meanwhile, the simultaneous incorporation of Fe/Fe3O4 and mesoporous SiO2 enhances the electromagnetic parameters of the composite and optimizes its impedance matching. The FFSC achieves a minimum reflection loss of -56.1 dB at a thickness of 4.09 mm, with an effective absorption bandwidth of approximately 3.67 GHz. This study offers valuable insights into the potential applications of conductive network architecture, magnetic constituent engineering, and impedance matching in carbon composite fibers.