Surface metalized carbon fibers prepared through ultrasonic pre-treatment for high-quality coating and outstanding millimeter wave stealth performance

Although Surface metalized carbon fibers have significant potential in electromagnetic wave absorption, achieving high-quality coatings and superior millimeter wave stealth performance, especially for passive millimeter waves, remains a considerable challenge. This article introduces a simple, innovative, and environmentally friendly method for preparing surface metalized CFs using ultrasonic technology, which enhances coating quality. The research indicates that the improvement is due to ultrasonic pre-treatment, which promotes the formation of Ni-O bonds between Ni ²⁺ and the CF substrate. This strengthens the adhesion between the CF and the plating. Furthermore, it was found that surface metalized CFs exhibit superior millimeter wave stealth performance (both active and passive) compared to desized carbon fibers. The active millimeter wave attenuation of nickel-plated CFs can reach −14.44 dB. For passive millimeter wave radiometers, these fibers reduce the radiation temperature difference from 200.31 K to 10.79 K. Furthermore, the passive millimeter wave stealth performance of materials is related to the area density of aerosol materials, described by the equation: ΔT _stealth=|T _environment- T _metal-k ₂[1-exp(-α _extS _m)]|. This relationship can be used to predict the PMMW stealth performance of materials under different area densities.