Ti3C2/Ni2P/triphenyl phosphite as antioxidative microwave absorbers with excellent photothermal property

Microwave absorbers with the high-efficiency photothermal conversion performance are currently lacking but significantly desired as they can provide a sufficient heat energy besides the absorption property. Herein, Ti3C2/Ni2P/triphenyl phosphite (TPOP-Ti3C2/Ni2P) composite was synthesized by an ingenious one-pot solution-phase reaction and proved to be a superior antioxidative microwave absorbent with excellent photothermal properties. Ni2P can effectively optimize the impedance match of Ti3C2 MXene and consequently improve its microwave absorption (MA) performance. Results show that the minimum reflection loss value of TPOP-Ti3C2/Ni2P is −57.87 dB at 10.88 GHz, the maximum effective absorption bandwidth is 5.04 GHz, and the thickness is merely 1.8 mm. Notably, TPOP on the MXene surface can serve simultaneously as an antioxidative stabilizer and a capping agent to improve its hydrophobicity and chemical stability. The average water contact angle of TPOP-Ti3C2/Ni2P is prompted to 96.59°, while the average oil contact angle is 26.02°. Moreover, compared with the pure Ti3C2, TPOP-Ti3C2/Ni2P has an obvious antioxidant stability in aqueous solution. Additionally, Ni2P nanoparticles exhibit a dipole resonance mode under illumination conditions, which enhances the surface absorption capability of visible light. The surface temperature of the natural rubber film after introducing TPOP-Ti3C2/Ni2P increased rapidly under simulated light, showing a high photothermal conversion ability. Furthermore, the MA performance of the composite film remains basically unchanged, whether is repeatedly bent or exposed under a harsh sun. This study provides a new strategy for manufacturing MA materials with efficient photothermal properties for the possible application to design wearable devices that can combine electromagnetic protection and self-generated heat.