Wida Puteri Agista, Arif Hidayat, ST Ulfawanti Intan Subrada, Tahta Amrillah, Kormil Saputra, Erfan Handoko, Mudrik Alaydrus, Hubby Izzuddin, Laemthong Chuenchom, Ahmad Taufiq
Radar-absorbing materials (RAMs) have been extensively employed, particularly in national security stealth technologies. Even though various novel RAMs have been invented, iron oxides still attract tremendous attention due to their distinctive properties that are suitable for radar absorption applications. However, some development should still be carried out to improve the feasibility of iron oxides as RAMs. In this study, iron oxides-based RAMs were developed by manipulating the composition of 3d metal transition elements, Fe and Mn, which mainly influence the radar absorption performance. We also use a compositing strategy by combining this iron oxide with conductive and dielectric polymer materials to form MnxFe3–xO4/PANI (polyaniline)/AC (activated carbon) nanocomposites. The nanocomposites were synthesized using the coprecipitation method with x = 0–1.2 variation. The RAMs functioned in the X-band frequency range (approximately 7–13 GHz) with a thickness of 2 mm to 5 mm. The MnxFe3–xO4/PANI/AC nanocomposites were successfully fabricated by various examinations. The Mn2+ ion was incorporated into Fe3O4, while the nanocomposites exhibited sphere-like morphologies constructed from MnxFe3–xO4, AC, and PANI having aggregates, granules, and chains forms, respectively. Moreover, the nanocomposite sample exhibited superparamagnetic properties, with the saturation magnetization decreasing with the increase in the Mn2+. Interestingly, the MnxFe3–xO4/PANI/AC nanocomposites with x = 1.2 showed a high radar absorption performance with a reflection loss of –42 dB at 9.3 GHz, which mainly attributed to the magnetic loss mechanism and, thus, makes the obtained nanocomposite very potential for radar absorption applications. We believe our findings could pave the way for the realization of iron oxide-based RAMs for radar absorption applications. © 2024 Elsevier B.V.
Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Science, Universitas Negeri Malang, Jl. Semarang 5, Malang, 65145, Indonesia; Nanotechnology Engineering, Faculty of Advanced Technology and Multidiscipline, Universitas Airlangga, Jl. Ir Sukarno 1, Surabaya, 60115, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculties of Mathematics and Natural Science, Mataram University, Jl. Majapahit 62, Nusa Tenggara Barat, Mataram, 83671, Indonesia; Department of Physics, Faculty of Mathematics and Natural Sciences, Universitas Negeri Jakarta, Jl. Rawamangun Muka 1, Jakarta, 13220, Indonesia; Department of Electrical Engineering, Universitas Mercu Buana, Jl. Meruya Selatan 1, Jakarta, 11650, Indonesia; Research Center for Advanced Materials, National Research and Innovation Agency (BRIN), Kawasan Sains dan Teknologi BJ Habibie, Banten, Tangerang Selatan, 15314, Indonesia; Division of Physical Science, Center of Excellence for Innovation in Chemistry, Faculty of Science, Prince of Songkla University, Hat-Yai, Songkhla, Thailand
