Encapsulation of γ-Fe2O3 decorated reduced graphene oxide in polyaniline core–shell tubes as an exceptional tracker for electromagnetic environmental pollution

Abstract

The ultimate goal of the development of a new material γ-Fe₂O₃ decorated reduced graphene oxide (rGO)–polyaniline (PANI) core–shell tubes has been done for absorbing electromagnetic interference (EMI) pollution. Herein, we report on the synthesis and characterization of PANI tubes consisting of rGO decorated with iron oxide nanoparticles (RF). The intercalated RF was synthesized by thermal decomposition of ferric acetyl acetonate in a reducing atmosphere. Furthermore, RF was encapsulated through oxidative polymerization of aniline in the presence of β-naphthalene sulphonic acid which results in RF–PANI core–shell morphology. Scanning electron microscopy results confirm the formation of tubular core–shell morphology having 5–15 μm length and 1–5 μm diameter. The presence of rGO–γ-Fe₂O₃ in PANI core enhances the interfacial polarization and the effective anisotropy energy of the composite which contributes to more scattering and leads to high shielding effectiveness (SE_T ∼ 51 dB) at a critical thickness of 2.5 mm. Additionally, the effective complex permeability and permittivity parameters of the composites have been evaluated from the experimental scattering parameters (S₁₁ & S₂₁) using theoretical calculations given in Nicholson–Ross and Weir algorithms.