Carbon nanotubes decorated FeNi/nitrogen-doped carbon composites for lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave absorption

Magnetic-dielectric component modulation and heterogeneous interface engineering were considered as an effective strategy for designing lightweight and broadband electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorbors. Herein, a series of carbon nanotubes (CNTs) decorated core-shell nitrogen-doped carbon (CNTs/FeNi/NC) composites were successfully fabricated via the carbonization of CNTs/NiFe2O4/PDA precursors obtained by hydrothermal and polymerization method. The EMW absorption (EMWA) properties of CNTs/FeNi/NC composites were explored by varying the CNTs content. When the CNTs content was 15%, the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value was -51.13 dB at 9.52 GHz and the corresponding effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) value was 2.96 GHz (8.96–11.12 GHz) at 2.5 mm. Particularly, the maximum EAB value can reach up to 4.64 GHz (12.80–17.44 GHz) at 1.7 mm. The excellent EMW attenuation capability resulted from the enhanced conductive loss, polarization loss, magnetic loss, and improved impedance matching. This work offers a novel reference for designing lightweight and broadband EMWA materials.