A new fire-resistant thin pyramidal absorber based straw and gypsum powder for cost-effective EMC test chambers

Abstract

In this study, low-cost, easy-fabrication, hollow, and thin pyramidal absorbers based on straw and gypsum powder (SGP-PA) are designed and fabricated for EMC test chambers and measured at 8–12 GHz. The novelty of this paper is the use of straw and gypsum powder materials naturally found in the environment together with carbon fiber (CF) which is preferred as a conductive additive material due to its various properties such as high conductivity, non-pollution in the fabrication process, binding ability thanks to its fibrous structure, and being usable in composite materials by means of its mechanical properties. Consequently, the effects of parameters such as CF ratio, thickness, base layer, and height of SGP-PA on absorptivity level are investigated with simulation/measurement results in order to shed light on absorber designers by obtaining optimum absorption. According to the results, different comments are made for each parameter by obtaining reflectivity values ranging between −21 dB and −50 dB.

Keywords

• Pyramidal absorber
• Carbon fiber
• Reflectivity
• Gypsum powder
• EMC test chambers