Carbon Fibers Embedded with Aligned Magnetic Particles for Efficient Electromagnetic Energy Absorption and Conversion

Abstract

Harvesting electromagnetic (EM) energy from the environment and converting it into useful micropower is a new and ideal way to eliminate EM radiation and while providing power for microelectronic devices. The key material of this technology is broadband, ultralight, and ultrathin EM-wave-absorbing materials, whose preparation remains challenging. Herein, a high magnetic field (HMF) strategy is proposed to prepare a biomass-derived CoFe/carbon fiber (CoFe/CF) composite, in which CoFe magnetic particles are aligned in CFs, creating magnetic coupling and fast electron transmission channels. The graphitization degree of CFs is improved via the "migration catalysis" of CoFe particles under HMF. The HMF-derived CoFe/CF shows a largely broadened EM wave absorption bandwidth under ultralight and ultrathin conditions (1.5 mm). Its absorption bandwidth increases 5-10 times compared with conventional CoFe/CF that has randomly distributed CoFe particles and surpasses the reported analogues. A device model for EM energy absorption and reuse is designed based on the HMF-derived CoFe/CF membrane, which exhibits a 300% higher capability than conventional CoFe/CF membrane in converting EM energy to thermal energy. This work offers a new strategy for the design and fabrication of broadband, ultrathin, and ultralight EM wave absorption materials and demonstrates a potential conversion approach of the waste EM energy.