Study and characterization of E.M. absorbing properties of EPDM ferrite composite containing manganese zinc ferrite

EPDM rubber has been used as matrix and manganese–zinc ferrite as magnetic filler. EPDM ferrite composites were prepared with varying loading in different compositions of Mn–Zn ferrite (RFC-1, 2, 3 and 4) and moulded in the test samples of different thicknesses i.e. 1.5 mm, 2.5 mm and 5 mm. Physico-mechanical properties of EPDM ferrite composites were determined. Complex permeability and permittivity parameters of rubber ferrite composites were measured using rectangular waveguide in the frequency range of 3.95–5.85 GHz. The variation of reflection loss (RL) of single layer rubber-ferrite composites has been investigated as a function of frequency, ferrite content and thickness of composites by unique single horn interferometry technique in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz. It is observed that microwave absorption of rubber–ferrite composites has increased with increase of ferrite content as well as thickness in the frequency range of 2–18 GHz.