Electromagnetic wave absorption property of polypyrrole nanowires/graphene composite

Abstract

We develop a facile low-temperature polymerization method for fabricating a PPy/G composite that can be used as a lightweight EMW absorber. Scanning electron microscopy image shows that the length of PPy nanowirs is several micrometers, and the well-defined interfaces between graphene and PPy nanowires. All of the reflection loss values for the composite at d ranging from 2.0 to 5.0 mm are less than −20 dB. For example, the minimal reflection loss is –38.9 dB as the thickness of the composite 3.0 mm at 11.28 GHz; the minimal reflection loss is –39.1 dB as the thickness of the composite 3.5 mm at 9.36 GHz, outperforming PPy nanowires and graphene-based absorbers reported previously. Furthermore, the content of the PPy/G composite in the paraffin matrix is only 5 wt%, greatly lower than that of PPy nanowires and graphene-based absorbers reported previously. The enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption property can be explained by interfacial polarization and 1/4 quarter-wavelength matching model. Our results may open a way to the development of highly lightweight EMW absorbers.