Constructing of three-dimensional molybdenum carbide nanoparticles embedded in honeycomb carbon as efficient microwave absorbers

Rational structural design and component regulation are effective strategies for realizing efficient electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption. In this study, a honeycomb porous carbon matrix loaded with molybdenum carbide particles was fabricated using the hard template method. The honeycomb structure effectively facilitates impedance matching and attenuation coefficient coordination, while also promoting the uniform dispersion of molybdenum carbide particles within the carbon skeleton. This creates a well-connected conductive network that facilitates electron transfer, thereby enhancing EM wave absorption. Consequently, the P/Mo ₂C/C-800 composite achieves a minimum reflection loss of −70 dB at 16.7 GHz at a thickness of 1.8 mm and a maximum absorption bandwidth of 5.2 GHz at a thickness of 2.0 mm with a loading of 30 wt%. Meanwhile, the radar cross section reduction of composites in the range of −90° < Phi < 90° can reach up to 33.9 dBm ² as simulated by CST, which indicates that the composites have great potential for practical microwave absorbing material applications. The density of the P/Mo ₂C/C-800 powder is 0.4904 g/cm ³ to meet the lightweight requirement. This work provides implications for studying carbide and porous carbon composites in microwave absorption.