An investigation on preparation and wave-absorbing properties of carbon nanotube/ferrite/polyaniline complexes

Conventional wave-absorbing materials effectively absorb electromagnetic waves in specific frequency bands and however cannot cope with interference and radiation in a wide frequency range. Therefore, materials with broadband wave-absorbing properties are of great significance for electromagnetic interference and radiation, protection of equipment, and human health. In this experiment, carbon nanotubes/nickel–zinc ferrite/polyaniline complex and carbon nanotubes/barium–zinc ferrite/polyaniline polymers were prepared by solution blending and in situ polymerization, respectively. The results show that the carbon nanotube/NiZn ferrite/polyaniline complexes has a good impedance matching absorption effect with a peak of − 34.3 dB at 3.68 GHz prepared by solution reaction method and with a maximum reflection loss of − 28.95 dB at 12.44 GHz by in situ polymerization method. Carbon nanotube/barium–zinc ferrite/polyaniline complexes were prepared by solution reaction and in situ polymerization methods, and the samples prepared by in situ polymerization had better absorption properties, with an effective absorption bandwidth up to 8.9 GHz (6.5–14.6 GHz and 16.1–16.8 GHz) and a reflection loss reaching a maximum of − 37.95 dB at 12.84 GHz.