Preparation and evaluation of the microwave absorption properties of template-free graphene foam-supported Ni nanoparticles

Abstract

A template-free graphene foam-supported Ni nanoparticle (GFN) composite was prepared by a hydrothermal method, followed by a calcination process. Phase, composition and morphology of the composites were characterized by XRD, Raman spectroscopy, FTIR, XPS, FESEM, and TEM. GFN exhibited a well-defined and interconnected three-dimensional (3D) network structure without template, and Ni nanoparticles were uniformly dispersed on the graphene nanosheets and attached via C–Ni covalent bonds. The microwave absorption (MA) properties of the samples were also investigated with a vector network analyzer. Based on the 3D structure of graphene foam, due to interfacial effects (graphene/Ni/wax) and the synergistic effect between graphene and Ni nanoparticles, GFN showed the most remarkable MA properties, compared with the graphene foam-supported NiO nanoparticles composite (GFNO), pure graphene foam (GF) and pure Ni nanoparticles. When the thickness of the GFN/wax sample was 3.4 mm and the content of GFN in the sample was only 1 wt%, the maximum reflection loss of GFN could reach −49 dB at 11.5 GHz. This high reflection loss was a result of the multiple reflections and attenuations of electromagnetic waves within the 3D structure of the graphene foam, the interfacial polarization and the better impedance matching characteristics of GFN. Hence, a template-free graphene foam-supported Ni nanoparticle composite with strong absorption and lightweight properties showed a promising future in microwave absorption applications.