scispace - formally typeset
Search or ask a question
Journal ArticleDOI

Carbon nanotube composites for broadband microwave absorbing materials

TL;DR: In this paper, a new shielding and absorbing composite based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed inside a polymer dielectric material was presented, which achieved a conduction level of 1 S/m for only 0.35 wt % of a CNT.
Abstract: In this paper, we present a new shielding and absorbing composite based on carbon nanotubes (CNTs) dispersed inside a polymer dielectric material. The extremely high aspect ratio of CNTs and their remarkable conductive properties lead to good absorbing properties with very low concentrations. A broadband characterization technique is used to measure the microwave electrical properties of CNT composites. It is shown that a conduction level of 1 S/m is reached for only 0.35 wt % of a CNT, while, for a classical absorbing composite based on carbon black, 20% concentration is mandatory. The conductive properties are explained by a phenomenological electrical model and successfully correlated with rheological data aiming at monitoring the dispersion of conductive inclusions in polymer matrices
Citations
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this article, a perspective on the experimental efforts toward the development of microwave absorbers composed of carbonaceous inclusions in a polymer matrix is presented. But the authors focus on the application for which the absorber is intended, weight reduction and optimization of the operating bandwidth are two important issues.
Abstract: Carbon (C) is a crucial material for many branches of modern technology. A growing number of demanding applications in electronics and telecommunications rely on the unique properties of C allotropes. The need for microwave absorbers and radar-absorbing materials is ever growing in military applications (reduction of radar signature of aircraft, ships, tanks, and targets) as well as in civilian applications (reduction of electromagnetic interference among components and circuits, reduction of the back-radiation of microstrip radiators). Whatever the application for which the absorber is intended, weight reduction and optimization of the operating bandwidth are two important issues. A composite absorber that uses carbonaceous particles in combination with a polymer matrix offers a large flexibility for design and properties control, as the composite can be tuned and optimized via changes in both the carbonaceous inclusions (C black, C nanotube, C fiber, graphene) and the embedding matrix (rubber, thermoplastic). This paper offers a perspective on the experimental efforts toward the development of microwave absorbers composed of carbonaceous inclusions in a polymer matrix. The absorption properties of such composites can be tailored through changes in geometry, composition, morphology, and volume fraction of the filler particles. Polymercomposites filled with carbonaceous particles provide a versatile system to probe physical properties at the nanoscale of fundamental interest and of relevance to a wide range of potential applications that span radar absorption, electromagnetic protection from natural phenomena (lightning), shielding for particle accelerators in nuclear physics, nuclear electromagnetic pulse protection, electromagnetic compatibility for electronic devices, high-intensity radiated field protection, anechoic chambers, and human exposure mitigation. Carbonaceous particles are also relevant to future applications that require environmentally benign and mechanically flexible materials.

1,026 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: A review of the state-of-the-art research in the design and characterization of polymer/carbon based composites as EMI shielding materials can be found in this paper.
Abstract: The extensive development of electronic systems and telecommunications has lead to major concerns regarding electromagnetic pollution. Motivated by environmental questions and by a wide variety of applications, the quest for materials with high efficiency to mitigate electromagnetic interferences (EMI) pollution has become a mainstream field of research. This paper reviews the state-of-the-art research in the design and characterization of polymer/carbon based composites as EMI shielding materials. After a brief introduction, in Section 1, the electromagnetic theory will be briefly discussed in Section 2 setting the foundations of the strategies to be employed to design efficient EMI shielding materials. These materials will be classified in the next section by the type of carbon fillers, involving carbon black, carbon fiber, carbon nanotubes and graphene. The importance of the dispersion method into the polymer matrix (melt-blending, solution processing, etc.) on the final material properties will be discussed. The combination of carbon fillers with other constituents such as metallic nanoparticles or conductive polymers will be the topic of Section 4. The final section will address advanced complex architectures that are currently studied to improve the performances of EMI materials and, in some cases, to impart additional properties such as thermal management and mechanical resistance. In all these studies, we will discuss the efficiency of the composites/devices to absorb and/or reflect the EMI radiation.

949 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the progress in some materials and structures for electromagnetic applications, such as microwave absorption, electric shielding and antenna designs, which have been developed in recent years are summarized.
Abstract: This review aims to summarise the progress in some materials and structures for electromagnetic applications, such as microwave absorption, electric shielding and antenna designs, which have been developed in recent years. Composites with spherical powders for microwave absorption focus mainly on those based on ferrites (especially hexagonal), carbonyl iron and related alloys and various newly emerged nanosized materials. Composites with long conductive fibres as fillers will be summarised, with speical attentions to prediction, measurment and evaluation of their performances. Metamaterials include structures for microwave absorbing applications, tunable materials or structures with reflection or transmission coefficients that are tunable by external magnetic or electric fields, and specially designed structures for microwave absorbing applications, with thickness much smaller than that of conventional composite materials and performances that can be optimised by the physical properties of substra...

378 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, the authors presented a review of the Advanced Optical Materials Hall of Fame article series, which recognizes the excellent contributions of leading researchers to the field of optical materials science. But they did not mention the work of the authors of this article.
Abstract: This work was supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Project No. 2013CB933301) and National Natural Science Foundation of China (Project No. 51272038). L.V.B. was supported by China Postdoctoral Science Foundation. A.O.G. was supported by the Volkswagen Foundation (Germany) and via the Chang Jiang (Yangtze River) Chair Professorship (China). G.P.W. acknowledges support from the Center for Nanoscale Materials, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science User Facility, and support by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. In addition, the authors acknowledge financial support obtained from the Virtual Institute for Theoretical Photonics and Energy. This review is part of the Advanced Optical Materials Hall of Fame article series, which recognizes the excellent contributions of leading researchers to the field of optical materials science.

321 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, polycaprolactone (PCL) filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were foamed by supercritical CO2 in order to prepare materials with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI).
Abstract: Nanocomposites of polycaprolactone (PCL) filled with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWNTs) were foamed by supercritical CO2 in order to prepare materials with reduced electromagnetic interference (EMI). Two mixing techniques were used, i.e., melt blending and co-precipitation. Shielding efficiency as high as 60 to 80 dB together with a low reflectivity was observed at a very low vol% of MWNTs (0.25 vol%). The reflectivity of the nanocomposites was advantageously decreased upon foaming. The uniformity of the open-cell structure was assessed by scanning electron microscopy. These foamed PCL/MWNT nanocomposites are very promising EMI shielding materials because their performances result from absorption at low filler content and not from reflection at relatively high filler content as was previously the case.

288 citations

References
More filters
Journal ArticleDOI
08 Sep 2005-Polymer
TL;DR: In this article, the electrical conductivity and linear viscoelastic behavior of polyethylene (PE) multiwalled carbon nanotubes (MWCNTs) with weight fractions ranging from 0.1 to 10 wt% were prepared by melt blending using a mini-twin screw extruder.

796 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, a coagulation method providing a better dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a polymer matrix was used to produce SWNT/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites.
Abstract: A coagulation method providing a better dispersion of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs) in a polymer matrix was used to produce SWNT/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) composites. Optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy showed an improved dispersion of SWNTs in the PMMA matrix, a key factor in composite performance. Aligned and unaligned composites were made with purified SWNTs with different SWNT loadings (0.1–7 wt %). Comprehensive testing showed improved elastic modulus, electrical conductivity, and thermal stability with the addition of SWNTs. The electrical conductivity of a 2 wt % SWNT composite decreased significantly (>105) when the SWNTs were aligned, and this result was examined in terms of percolation. © 2003 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Polym Sci Part B: Polym Phys 41: 3333–3338, 2003

472 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, Lagarkov et al. measured the complex permittivity spectra of a thin-film polymer with single-wall carbon nanotubes at 500 MHz and 5.50 GHz.

227 citations

Journal ArticleDOI
TL;DR: In this paper, an optimization of the carbon fiber composite for a microwave absorber is presented based on the modulus of permittivity which obeys a logarithmic law of mixtures.
Abstract: Optimization of the carbon fiber composite for a microwave absorber is presented. The predicted results are based on the modulus of permittivity which obeys a logarithmic law of mixtures while the dielectric loss tangents are related through a linear law of mixtures. Linear regression analysis performed on the data points provides the constants which are used to predict the effective permittivities at different frequencies. An optimization program is written to compute the optimum amount of carbon fiber paste and thickness required for each layer. As shown, the predicted results agree quite well with the measured data.

129 citations

Proceedings ArticleDOI
01 Jan 2005
TL;DR: In this article, a shielding and absorbing composite based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) dispersed inside a polymer dielectric material is presented, and a broadband characterization technique is used to measure the microwave electrical properties of CNT composites.
Abstract: In this paper, we present a shielding and absorbing composite based on carbon nanotubes (CNT) dispersed inside a polymer dielectric material. The extremely high aspect ratio of CNTs and their remarkable conductive properties lead to good absorbing properties with very low concentrations. A broadband characterization technique is used to measure the microwave electrical properties of CNT composites. It is shown that a conduction level of 1 S/m is reached for only 0.35 % weight percent of CNT, while for a classical absorbing composite based on carbon black 20 % concentration is mandatory.

119 citations