Fabrication of hexagonal cerium oxide nanoparticles decorated nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide hybrid nanocomposite as high-performance microwave absorbers in the Ku band

Abstract With the aim to obtain microwave absorbers simultaneously possessing broad absorption bandwidth, strong absorption intensity and thin matching thickness, nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide decorated by cerium oxide particles (NRGO/CeO2) hybrid nanocomposite was prepared through a hydrothermal and calcination two-step route. Results of micromorphology analysis showed that numerous hexagonal CeO2 nanoparticles were evenly anchored on the crumpled surfaces of NRGO. Moreover, both nitrogen doping and hybridization with RGO could notably strengthen the microwave absorption capacity of CeO2. Remarkably, the NRGO/CeO2 hybrid nanocomposite exhibited the minimum reflection loss of −57.2 dB at 13.4 GHz (Ku band) under a matching thickness of 1.66 mm and maximum absorption bandwidth of 4.6 GHz (from 13.2 to 17.8 GHz) at an ultrathin thickness of only 1.5 mm. Meanwhile, the hybrid nanocomposites displayed strong absorption intensity (≤-20 dB, 99% absorption) in almost the whole measured thicknesses range. Furthermore, the relationship between absorption intensity and filler loadings was uncovered. The potential microwave absorption mechanisms were further revealed. Therefore, this work opened a novel idea for designing RGO-based hybrid nanocomposites as high-performance microwave absorbers.