Coaxial Al4C3/Al2O3@Cf composite with tunable core-shell architecture for synergistic electromagnetic absorption and thermal insulation

JJ Zhou and YK Zhang and XY Wang and YN Yang and X Wu and J Hu and L Xia, COMPOSITES PART B-ENGINEERING, 306, 112830 (2025).

DOI: 10.1016/j.compositesb.2025.112830

Impedance mismatch and high-temperature oxidation are two main factors that limit the practical application of carbon-based absorbing materials. Although micro/nano-structured composites have been explored to alleviate these issues, they often suffer from dispersion instability and structural fragility. In this work, a coaxial composite fiber microwave absorber (Al4C3/Al2O3@Cf) is fabricated using carbon fiber (Cf) as a template and conductive core, with an Al4C3/Al2O3 ceramic shell grown in situ via a vapor-solid reaction. Compared to pristine Cf, which exhibits negligible absorption, the optimized composite achieves a minimum reflection loss of -49.27 dB, attributed to interfacial polarization and a built-in capacitor-like structure. Meanwhile, the material also features excellent oxidation resistance and thermal insulation (0.0567 W m- 1 K- 1 at 100 degrees C). This study presents a structurally controllable, thermally robust absorber design that overcomes key limitations of traditional carbonbased materials, offering a promising solution for next-generation electromagnetic protection in aerospace and harsh environments.

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