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Vol. 15 (2023)

Multifunctional MXene/C Aerogels for Enhanced Microwave Absorption and Thermal Insulation

https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01158-7
Fushuo Wu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Peiying Hu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Feiyue Hu
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Zhihua Tian
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Jingwen Tang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Peigen Zhang
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Long Pan
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China
Michel W. Barsoum
Department of Materials Science & Engineering, Drexel University, Philadelphia, PA 19104, USA
Longzhu Cai
The State Key Laboratory of Millimeter Waves, School of Information Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, People’s Republic of China
ZhengMing Sun
School of Materials Science and Engineering, Southeast University, Nanjing 211189, People’s Republic of China

Corresponding Author: ZhengMing Sun

zmsun@seu.edu.cn

Nano-Micro Letters, Vol. 15 (2023), Article Number: 194

Abstract

Two-dimensional transition metal carbides and nitrides (MXene) have emerged as promising candidates for microwave absorption (MA) materials. However, they also have some drawbacks, such as poor impedance matching, high self-stacking tendency, and high density. To tackle these challenges, MXene nanosheets were incorporated into polyacrylonitrile (PAN) nanofibers and subsequently assembled into a three-dimensional (3D) network structure through PAN carbonization, yielding MXene/C aerogels. The 3D network effectively extends the path of microcurrent transmission, leading to enhanced conductive loss of electromagnetic (EM) waves. Moreover, the aerogel’s rich pore structure significantly improves the impedance matching while effectively reducing the density of the MXene-based absorbers. EM parameter analysis shows that the MXene/C aerogels exhibit a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) value of − 53.02 dB (f = 4.44 GHz, t = 3.8 mm), and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 5.3 GHz (t = 2.4 mm, 7.44–12.72 GHz). Radar cross-sectional (RCS) simulations were employed to assess the radar stealth effect of the aerogels, revealing that the maximum RCS reduction value of the perfect electric conductor covered by the MXene/C aerogel reaches 12.02 dB m2. In addition to the MA performance, the MXene/C aerogel also demonstrates good thermal insulation performance, and a 5-mm-thick aerogel can generate a temperature gradient of over 30 °C at 82 °C. This study provides a feasible design approach for creating lightweight, efficient, and multifunctional MXene-based MA materials.


Highlights:
1 Curving 2D MXene into 1D nanofibers can effectively stop the restacking of MXene flakes, and then the nanofibers are used to construct a lightweight and multifunctional MXene/C aerogel.
2 The MXene/C aerogels achieved an RLmin of − 53.02 dB and EAB of 5.3 GHz. The radar cross-sectional reduction value of MXene/C aerogels can reach 12.02 dB m2.
3 Integrating multiple functions such as thermal insulation, sensing, and microwave absorption into one material—MXene/C aerogel.

Keywords

MXene Microwave absorption Aerogel Radar cross-sectional (RCS) simulation Thermal insulation
Wu, Fushuo, Peiying Hu, Feiyue Hu, Zhihua Tian, Jingwen Tang, Peigen Zhang, Long Pan, Michel W. Barsoum, Longzhu Cai, and ZhengMing Sun. 2023. “Multifunctional MXene/C Aerogels for Enhanced Microwave Absorption and Thermal Insulation”. Nano-Micro Letters 15 (August):194. https://doi.org/10.1007/s40820-023-01158-7.
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