Tunable flower-like NiFe2O4-FeNi/C/SnO2 composites with radar-infrared compatible stealth performance

Abstract

In the context of the swift advancement of detection technology and the enhancement of accuracy, radar-infrared (IR) compatible stealth materials have emerged as the focal point of research in stealth technology. In this study, NiFe2O4-FeNi/C (NFO-FN/C) with flower-like structure was firstly prepared by hydrothermal method combined with annealing. Subsequently, the unique flower-like NiFe2O4-FeNi/C/SnO2 (NFO-FN/C/SnO2) composites were successfully prepared by depositing SnO2 nanoparticles on their surfaces by a second hydrothermal method. The special microstructure of the flower-like NFO-FN/C/SnO2, the synergistic effect between the multi-components, and the infrared reflecting ability of SnO2 enable the material to show excellent performance in radar-infrared compatible stealth. The microwave absorption (MA) properties and infrared radiation characteristics can be flexibly regulated by the loading content of SnO2. The composite has a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of -55.14 dB at 3.8 mm thickness and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 4.16 GHz at 1.6 mm thickness. The maximum reduction of the simulated radar cross section (RCS) was up to 25.24 dB m2, which demonstrates its excellent radar stealth capability. The average infrared reflectivity of the composite in the 8-14 μm ranges was 0.82, which reflects the outstanding infrared stealth performance. Therefore, flower-like NFO-FN/C/SnO2 can be regarded as a potential radar-infrared compatible stealth material. This finding provides new ideas and references for the development of multi-band compatible stealth materials.