A facile coprecipitation method to synthesize Fe _x O _y /Fe decorated graphite sheets with enhanced microwave absorption properties

Fe _x O _y /Fe decorated graphite sheets (DGS) are synthesized using a facile coprecipitation method followed by heat treatment under different conditions. The size and chemical composition of the particles loaded on graphite sheets can be tailored by adjusting the heat treatment temperature and atmosphere. The obtained α-Fe ₂ O ₃ DGS (S ₁ ), Fe ₃ O ₄ DGS (S ₂ and S ₃ ), and Fe DGS (S ₄ ) all exhibit excellent electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption when compared with conventional graphite/magnetic-particle composites. The minimum reflection loss (RL) can reach -42.1 dB at 4.16 GHz in the S ₂ /paraffin composites. The bandwidth of the RL below -10 dB covers 4.4 GHz (11.04-15.44 GHz) with a thickness of 2 mm. A possible EM wave loss mechanism has been proposed in detail. The multiple absorbing mechanisms could control the excellent absorption, resulting in a product with a feasible application in stealth materials.