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Nano Research 2018, 11(1): 530-541 https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-017-1664-6
Research Article | Issue | Published: 18 July 2017

Flexible design of gradient multilayer nanofilms coated on carbon nanofibers by atomic layer deposition for enhanced microwave absorption performance

Show Author's Information Shichao Zhao1,2,  Lili Yan1,2,  Xiaodong Tian2,3,  Yequn Liu1,4,  Chaoqiu Chen1,  Yunqin Li1,2,  Jiankang Zhang1,2,  Yan Song3,  Yong Qin1( )
State Key Laboratory of Coal ConversionInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China
University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100039China
Key Laboratory of Carbon MaterialsInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China
Analytical Instrumentation CenterInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China
Keywords:
atomic layer deposition, microwave absorption, conductive gradient multilayer nanofilms, electrospun carbon nanofiber, dielectric material
Cite this article:
Zhao S, Yan L, Tian X, et al. Flexible design of gradient multilayer nanofilms coated on carbon nanofibers by atomic layer deposition for enhanced microwave absorption performance. Nano Research, 2018, 11(1): 530-541. https://doi.org/10.1007/s12274-017-1664-6
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Abstract Full text Electronic supplementary material About this article

Impedance matching is important for achieving high-efficiency microwave absorbers. The high conductivity of dielectric loss materials such as pure metals and carbon nanomaterials generally results in poor absorption owing to the low impedance matching between the absorbers and air. Carbon nanostructures are very promising candidates for high-efficiency absorption because of their attractive features including low density, high surface area, and good stability. Herein, a new strategy is proposed to improve the impedance matching of dielectric loss materials using electrospun carbon nanofibers as an example. The carbon nanofibers are coated with specifically designed gradient multilayer nanofilms with gradually increasing electroconductibility synthesized by doping ZnO with different Al2O3 content (AZO) by atomic layer deposition. The gradient nanofilms are composed of five layers of dielectric films, namely, pure Al2O3, AZO (5:1, the pulse cycle ratio of ZnO to Al2O3), pure ZnO, AZO (10:1), and AZO (20:1). The versatile gradient films serve as intermediate layers to tune the impedance matching between air and the carbon nanofiber surfaces. Therefore, the carbon nanofibers coated with gradient films of rationally selected thicknesses exhibit remarkably enhanced microwave absorption performance, and the optimal reflection loss reaches?58.5 dB at 16.2 GHz with a thickness of only 1.8 mm. This work can help further understand the contribution of impedance matching to microwave absorption. Our strategy is general and can be applied to improve the absorption properties of other dielectric loss materials and even for applications in other fields.


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Electronic supplementary material
About this article

Flexible design of gradient multilayer nanofilms coated on carbon nanofibers by atomic layer deposition for enhanced microwave absorption performance

Show Author's information Shichao Zhao1,2, Lili Yan1,2, Xiaodong Tian2,3, Yequn Liu1,4, Chaoqiu Chen1, Yunqin Li1,2, Jiankang Zhang1,2, Yan Song3, Yong Qin1( )
State Key Laboratory of Coal ConversionInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China
University of Chinese Academy of SciencesBeijing100039China
Key Laboratory of Carbon MaterialsInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China
Analytical Instrumentation CenterInstitute of Coal ChemistryChinese Academy of SciencesTaiyuan030001China

Abstract

Impedance matching is important for achieving high-efficiency microwave absorbers. The high conductivity of dielectric loss materials such as pure metals and carbon nanomaterials generally results in poor absorption owing to the low impedance matching between the absorbers and air. Carbon nanostructures are very promising candidates for high-efficiency absorption because of their attractive features including low density, high surface area, and good stability. Herein, a new strategy is proposed to improve the impedance matching of dielectric loss materials using electrospun carbon nanofibers as an example. The carbon nanofibers are coated with specifically designed gradient multilayer nanofilms with gradually increasing electroconductibility synthesized by doping ZnO with different Al2O3 content (AZO) by atomic layer deposition. The gradient nanofilms are composed of five layers of dielectric films, namely, pure Al2O3, AZO (5:1, the pulse cycle ratio of ZnO to Al2O3), pure ZnO, AZO (10:1), and AZO (20:1). The versatile gradient films serve as intermediate layers to tune the impedance matching between air and the carbon nanofiber surfaces. Therefore, the carbon nanofibers coated with gradient films of rationally selected thicknesses exhibit remarkably enhanced microwave absorption performance, and the optimal reflection loss reaches?58.5 dB at 16.2 GHz with a thickness of only 1.8 mm. This work can help further understand the contribution of impedance matching to microwave absorption. Our strategy is general and can be applied to improve the absorption properties of other dielectric loss materials and even for applications in other fields.

Keywords: atomic layer deposition, microwave absorption, conductive gradient multilayer nanofilms, electrospun carbon nanofiber, dielectric material

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Publication history
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Acknowledgements

Publication history

Received: 02 February 2017
Revised: 01 May 2017
Accepted: 04 May 2017
Published: 18 July 2017
Issue date: January 2018

Copyright

© Tsinghua University Press and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany 2017

Acknowledgements

Acknowledgements

This work was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 21376256 and 51602322), the Youth Innovation Promotion Association of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (No. 2015139), the Research Project of Shanxi Scholarship Council (No. 2013-152), the Hundred Talent Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and the Hundred Talent Program of Shanxi Province.

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