Synthesis of reduced graphene oxide/zinc ferrite/nickel nanohybrids: as a lightweight and high-performance microwave absorber in the low frequency

The study of materials with lightweight and high-performance microwave absorption in low frequency range is of great significance for many critical fields. Nevertheless, the prominent issues of traditional absorbing materials such as high dielectric constant and thick thickness seriously restrict their practical applications. Consequently, ultimate aims for the development of high-performance multicomponent microwave absorbing materials with lightweight and high reflection loss are urgently required in the low frequency range. A spherical-like nanohybrids of reduced graphene oxide/ZnFe₂O₄/Ni (RGO/ZnFe₂O₄/Ni) in paraffin with an outstanding microwave absorption property was synthesized by hydrothermal method. When increased content of RGO/ZnFe₂O₄/Ni nanohybrids to 40 wt%, the best reflection loss (RL) of − 22.57 dB occurred at 4.21 GHz with a thickness of only 2.5 mm and the absorption bandwidth (RL ≤ − 10 dB) covered from 3.6 to 10.22 GHz with thin thickness of 1.5–4.0 mm. A possible absorption mechanism of RGO/ZnFe₂O₄/Ni in Paraffin wax was discussed. This work demonstrates that RGO/ZnFe₂O₄/Ni nanohybrids as a powerful candidate microwave absorber in low frequency could provide a new strategy for designing carbon-based microwave absorbing materials with lightweight.