Core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2@PANI composite: Preparation, characterization, and applications in microwave absorption

The Fe3O4@SiO2@PANI ternary nanocomposite was successfully prepared by a three-step method. The TEM images show that the spherical size of Fe3O4 nanoparticles is about 100 nm and the Fe3O4@SiO2@PANI composite is a core-shell structure. Compared with the Fe3O4 nanoparticles and the Fe3O4@SiO2 composite, the Fe3O4@SiO2@PANI has excellent microwave absorption properties in terms of RLmax and absorption bandwidth. RLmax reaches as high as − 44.9 dB and the effective absorption bandwidth is less than − 10 dB for 4.0 GHz with a thickness of 1.5 mm. It is believed that the core-shell Fe3O4@SiO2@PANI composite can be used as a microwave absorber and is a promising and developing materials in the field of electromagnetic waves.