Enhanced Microwave Absorption of CNT Composites Mixing with Fe3O4 and Carbonyl Iron

Abstract

We fabricated two different kinds of composite materials for absorbing microwave in a frequency range of 2 to 18 GHz using coaxial airline and thru-reflect-line (TRL) method. The composite materials having carbon nanotube (CNT) with carbonyl iron (CI) or iron oxide (Fe3O4) were fabricated by mixing each components. Magnetic properties were measured by SQUID equipment. Complex permittivity and complex permeability were also obtained by measuring S-parameters of the toroidal specimen dispersing CI/CNT and Fe3O4/CNT into the 50 weight percent (wt%) epoxy resin. The real permittivity was improved by mixing the CNT however, the real permeability was same as pure magnetic powders. The CI/CNT had a maximum value of real permittivity and real permeability, 11 and 1.4 at 10 GHz, respectively. The CNT composites can be adapted to the radar absorbing materials, band width 8-12 GHz.

Keywords

• magnetic powders
• complex permittivity
• complex permeability
• composite materials
• microwave absorption