Metal–p(C3O2)X assembly enables construction of 2D metal/C nanocomposites for broadband electromagnetic wave absorption

Abstract

Two-dimensional (2D) materials are considered excellent electromagnetic wave absorbing (EMW) materials because of their ultrathin characteristics, ultra-large specific surface area, and excellent processing properties. However, when using existing preparation methods (e.g., mechanical stripping and chemical vapor deposition) it is difficult to balance cost, scale and quality. In this study, a polymer semiconductor p(C₃O₂)_X with controllable 2D nanosheet micromorphology and enriched with oxygen-containing groups is introduced as a precursor. Its rich oxygen-containing groups can be used as anchor sites for metal ions. The results show that the prepared samples all exhibit a 2D nanosheet structure. Due to the structural features of 2D materials, numerous heterointerfaces are formed within the composites, greatly promoting interfacial polarization. Moreover, oxygen incorporation and crystalline defects substantially improve dipole polarization. The incorporation of metallic components further boosts the magnetic loss performance. Benefiting from the combined influence of multiple attenuation mechanisms and distinctive microstructural properties, the OC–Cu achieves a minimum reflection loss (RL_min) of −63.7 dB and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 6.44 GHz. This work provides a novel strategy for the construction of high-performance EMW absorbing materials.