Synthesis and Microwave Absorbing Properties of Cu-Doped Nickel Zinc Ferrite/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 Nanocomposites

Abstract

Nanocomposites based on Cu-doped nickel zinc ferrite and lead zirconium titanate exhibited significant microwave absorbing properties in the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz) region. Coprecipitation and homogeneous precipitation methods were utilized to synthesize Cu-doped nickel zinc ferrite (Cu0.2Ni0.4Zn0.4Fe2O4) and lead zirconium titanate (Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3) nanoparticles, respectively. To develop nanocomposites, dispersion of these nanoparticles into epoxy resin (LY665) polymeric matrix was carried out by using mechanical stirrer. Phase analyses of the nanoparticles were done by X-ray diffraction (XRD). Moreover, morphological characterization was done by scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS) confirmed the chemical constituents present in the nanocomposites. Complex relative permittivity and complex relative permeability values of the nanocomposites were measured in different microwave frequencies in the X-band (8.2–12.4 GHz) region by employing vector network analyzer (model PNA E8364B), and return loss (dB) values were calculated to identify the microwave absorbing performance of the present nanocomposites. Brilliant microwave absorbing properties have been achieved by the nanocomposites with the minimum return loss of −49.53 dB at 8.44 GHz when sample thickness was 3 mm. For the present nanocomposites, mainly dielectric loss was responsible for loss mechanism.