Fabrication of Graphene-Skinned SiC Fiber Materials Toward Dielectric-Gradient Ceramic Matrix Composites for Efficient Electromagnetic Absorption

Abstract

Overcoming the trilemma of strength, absorption, and cost in stealth composites, we report the dielectric-gradient silicon carbide fiber-reinforced silicon carbide matrix composites with graphene-skinned SiC fibers (Gr-SiC_f) enabling tunable electromagnetic architecture. By conformally depositing continuous graphene skins onto SiC_f via atmospheric pressure chemical vapor deposition, we achieve precise control over conductivity through growth kinetics at minimal cost, while maintaining the high mechanical strength of the resulting Gr-SiC_f. Strategic integration of these Gr-SiC_f as high-, medium-, and low-volume-resistivity reinforcements creates spatially tailored dielectric gradients, optimized through finite-element modeling. The resulting dielectric-gradient structures exhibit exceptional impedance matching, alongside synergistic polarization loss, conductive loss, and multiple reflections. At a total thickness of 3.5 mm, the composite achieves an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, reflection loss ≤ −10 dB) of 4.30 GHz and a broad bandwidth (RL ≤ −5 dB) of 13.41 GHz across the 4–18 GHz range. This material paradigm establishes a scalable route to manufacturing complex-shaped structural absorbers, addressing a critical bottleneck for next-generation stealth platforms.

Graphical Abstract

Keywords

Chemical vapor deposition / Graphene-skinned SiC fiber / Graphene-skinned SiC fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites / Dielectric-gradient / Electromagnetic absorption

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Funding

National Natural Science Foundation of China(22475026)

Beijing National Laboratory for Molecular Sciences(BNLMS-CXTD-202001)

Fundamental Research Funds for the Central Universities(JUSRP202504014)

RIGHTS & PERMISSIONS

Donghua University, Shanghai, China

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