Yuzhi Wang , Xiaopeng Qi , Yifeng Hu , Changcai Chen , Zhengxing Li , Weiwei Dong , Quan Fang and Lei Wang
First published on 22nd September 2025
FeSi-based materials have recently emerged as promising candidates for electromagnetic wave absorption applications owing to their remarkable electrical conductivity and superior soft magnetic properties. Nevertheless, the simultaneous precise regulation of electromagnetic parameters and optimization of impedance matching remains a significant challenge. The integration of metal-organic frameworks (MOFs), characterized by their high porosity, large specific surface area, and tunable chemical architectures, has been recognized as an optimal strategy to address this challenge. In this work, we fabricated FeSiAl@ZIF-8/ZIF-67 composites via a two-step in situ growth method on FeSiAl substrates, capitalizing on the intrinsic properties of MOF materials. Comprehensive evaluation of the microwave absorption performance with varying MOF loading ratios demonstrated that the composite containing 20 wt% ZIF-8 and 20 wt% ZIF-67 achieved exceptional performance, exhibiting a minimum reflection loss of -58.8 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth of 3.995 GHz. The outstanding microwave absorption performance can be primarily attributed to three key factors: (1) the bimetallic MOF composite effectively optimizes the electromagnetic parameters, (2) the porous structure enhances both interfacial and dipole polarization while improving impedance matching characteristics, and (3) the promoted multiple reflections and scattering of electromagnetic waves contribute to efficient energy dissipation. This work successfully fabricates FeSiAl@ZIF-8/ZIF-67 composites with enhanced microwave absorption performance and improved impedance matching, providing new insights for the application of FeSi-based magnetic materials in electromagnetic absorption.