Three-dimensional porous manganese oxide/nickel/carbon microspheres as high-performance electromagnetic wave absorbers with superb photothermal property

Regulating electromagnetic parameters and thus improving impedance matching characteristics by multi-component design is regarded as a prospective approach to obtain highly efficient electromagnetic wave absorption materials. Whereas, it is still challenging to fabricate microwave absorbers with strong absorption capacity and durability in harsh conditions. Based on the above considerations, three-dimensional porous multi-functional manganese oxide/nickel/carbon microspheres had been designed and prepared through a combined approach of facile solvothermal reactions and subsequent carbonization processes. The textural characteristic examinations demonstrated that, numerous manganese oxide and Ni nanoparticles of 15–20 nm in diameter were well dispersed in the carbon-based microspheres of approximately 0.8–1 μm in size. Microwave absorption property evaluation indicated that the minimum reflection loss reached up to −53.6 dB at 9.5 GHz, and effective absorption bandwidth of 3.7 GHz was achieved at matching thickness of merely 2.0 mm. The electromagnetic wave attenuation mechanisms analysis displayed that excellent impedance matching and various dissipation pathways, including magnetic loss, interfacial and dipole polarization relaxation synergistically contributed to the high microwave absorption performances of the porous composites. Radar cross-sectional simulation and photothermal measurements verified that the materials were supposed to have promising foregrounds in complicated circumstances.