Effect of carbon-based nanomaterials on the wave absorption properties of hollow ZnFe2O4

Hollow ZnFe2O4/carbon-based nanocomposite absorbers were successfully synthesized using a simple one-pot solvothermal process. Different methods were used to study the physical structure, microstructure, functional groups, and magnetic properties of the composite absorbers. The addition of different carbon-based nanomaterials improves the wave absorption properties in different ways. It not only improves the absorption strength, but also increases the effective absorption bandwidth. According to research findings, a maximum reflection loss of − 37.47 dB was obtained for pure hollow ZnFe2O4 at 1.6 mm, −49.17 dB for ZnFe2O4/rGO at 3.6 mm, −40.31 dB for ZnFe2O4/MWCNTs at 4.8 mm, and − 27.64 dB for ZnFe2O4/MWCNTs/rGO at 1.9 mm. The excellent electromagnetic wave absorption is attributed not only to the magnetic loss of the ferrite and the dielectric loss of the carbon-based nanomaterials, but also to the interfacial polarization between the different materials and the dipolar polarization of the residual functional groups.