Insight to the enhanced microwave absorption of porous N-doped carbon driven by ZIF-8: Competition between graphitization and porosity

Abstract

Porous carbon-based materials are promised to be lightweight dielectric microwave absorbents. Deeply understanding the influence of graphitization grade and porous structure on the dielectric parameters is urgently required. Herein, utilizing the low boiling point of Zn, porous N-doped carbon was fabricated by carbonization of ZIF-8 (Zn) at different temperature, and the microwave absorption performance was investigated. The porous N-doped carbon inherits the high porosity of ZIF-8 precursor. By increasing the carbonization temperature, the contents of Zn and N elements are decreased; the graphitization degree is improved; however, the specific surface area and porosity are increased first and then decreased. When the carbonization temperature is 1000°C, the porous N-doped carbon behaves enhanced microwave absorption. With an ultrathin thickness of 1.29 mm, the ideal RL reaches −50.57 dB at 16.95 GHz and the effective absorption bandwidth is 4.17 GHz. The mechanism of boosted microwave absorption is ascribed to the competition of graphitization and porosity as well as N dopants, resulting in high dielectric loss capacity and good impedance matching. The porous structure can prolong the pathways and raise the contact opportunity between microwaves and porous carbon, causing multiple scattering, interface polarization, and improved impedance matching. Besides, the N dopants can induce electron polarization and defect polarization. These results give a new insight to construct lightweight carbon-based microwave absorbents by regulating the graphitization and porosity.

Keywords

N-doped carbon / porosity / dielectric / impedance matching / microwave absorption

References

[1] Wu NN, Hu Q, Wei RB, et al. Review on the electromagnetic interference shielding properties of carbon based materials and their novel composites: Recent progress, challenges and prospects. Carbon, 2021, 176, 88.

[2] Zhou XJ, Wen JW, Wang ZN, Ma XH, Wu HJ. Size-controllable porous flower-like NiCo₂O₄ fabricated via sodium tartrate assisted hydrothermal synthesis for lightweight electromagnetic absorber. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2021, 602, 834.

[3] M. L. Ma, W. T. Li, Z. Y. Tong, et al., Facile synthesis of the one-dimensional flower-like yolk-shell Fe₃O₄@SiO₂@NiO nanochains composites for high-performance microwave absorption, J. Alloys Compd., 843(2020), art. No. 155199.

[4] T.Q. Hou, Z.R. Jia, Y.H. Dong, X.H. Liu, and G.L. Wu, Layered 3D structure derived from MXene/magnetic carbon nanotubes for ultra-broadband electromagnetic wave absorption, Chem. Eng. J., 431(2022), art. No. 133919.

[5] Huang WB, Tong ZY, Wang RZ, et al. A review on electrospinning nanofibers in the field of microwave absorption. Ceram. Int., 2020, 46, 26441.

[6] Zeng XJ, Cheng XY, Yu RH, Stucky GD. Electromagnetic microwave absorption theory and recent achievements in microwave absorbers. Carbon, 2020, 168, 606.

[7] Liu Y, Jia Z R, Zhan QQ, et al. Magnetic manganese-based composites with multiple loss mechanisms towards broadband absorption. Nano Res., 2022, 15(6): 5590.

[8] Yan J, Huang Y, Liu XD, et al. Polypyrrole-based composite materials for electromagnetic wave absorption. Polym. Rev., 2021, 61(3): 646.

[9] Hou TQ, Jia ZR, Feng AL, et al. Hierarchical composite of biomass derived magnetic carbon framework and phytic acid doped polyanilne with prominent electromagnetic wave absorption capacity. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2021, 68, 61.

[10] D.D. Zhi, T. Li, J.Z. Li, H.S. Ren, and F.B. Meng, A review of three-dimensional graphene-based aerogels: Synthesis, structure and application for microwave absorption, Composites Part B, 211(2021), art. No. 108642.

[11] Liu Y, Liu XH, E XY, et al. Synthesis of Mn_xO_y@C hybrid composites for optimal electromagnetic wave absorption capacity and wideband absorption. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 103, 157.

[12] Zhou XJ, Wen JW, Wang ZN, Ma XH, Wu HJ. Broadband high-performance microwave absorption of the single-layer Ti₃C₂T_x MXene. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 115, 148.

[13] Cui YH, Yang K, Wang JQ, Shah T, Zhang QY, Zhang BL. Preparation of pleated RGO/MXene/Fe₃O₄ microsphere and its absorption properties for electromagnetic wave. Carbon, 2021, 172, 1.

[14] L.F. Sun, Z.R. Jia, S. Xu, et al, Synthesis of NiCo₂−0.5xCr₂O₃@C nanoparticles based on hydroxide with the heterogeneous interface for excellent electromagnetic wave absorption properties, Compos. Commun., 29(2022), art. No. 100993.

[15] Shu RW, Wan ZL, Zhang JB, et al. Facile design of three-dimensional nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide/multi-walled carbon nanotube composite foams as lightweight and highly efficient microwave absorbers. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2020, 12(4): 4689.

[16] Che BD, Nguyen BQ, Nguyen LTT, et al. The impact of different multi-walled carbon nanotubes on the X-band microwave absorption of their epoxy nanocomposites. Chem. Central J., 2015, 9(1): 1.

[17] Li GM, Wang LC, Li WX, Xu Y. Fe-, Co-, and Ni-loaded porous activated carbon balls as lightweight microwave absorbents. Chemphyschem, 2015, 16(16): 3458.

[18] Li WX, Wang LC, Li GM, Xu Y. Single-crystal octahedral CoFe₂O₄ nanoparticles loaded on carbon balls as a lightweight microwave absorbent. J. Alloys Compd., 2015, 633, 11.

[19] Gu YY, Dai P, Zhang W, Su ZW. Fish bone-derived interconnected carbon nanofibers for efficient and lightweight microwave absorption. SN Appl. Sci., 2021, 3(2): 1.

[20] K. Nasouri, A.M. Shoushtari, J. Mirzaei, and A.A. Merati, Synthesis of carbon nanotubes composite nanofibers for ultrahigh performance UV protection and microwave absorption applications, Diam. Relat. Mater., 107(2020), art. No. 107896.

[21] D. Gunwant and A. Vedrtnam, Microwave absorbing properties of carbon fiber based materials: A review and prospective, J. Alloys Compd., 881(2021), art. No. 160572.

[22] Cheng JB, Shi HG, Cao M, et al. Porous carbon materials for microwave absorption. Mater. Adv., 2020, 1(8): 2631.

[23] Hu CL, Liu HP, Zhang YH, et al. Tuning microwave absorption properties of multi-walled carbon nanotubes by surface functional groups. J. Mater. Sci., 2019, 54(3): 2417.

[24] Singh SK, Akhtar MJ, Kar KK. Hierarchical carbon nanotube-coated carbon fiber: Ultra lightweight, thin, and highly efficient microwave absorber. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2018, 10(29): 24816.

[25] M.A. Aslam, W. Ding, S. ur Rehman, et al., Low cost 3D biocarbon foams obtained from wheat straw with broadened bandwidth electromagnetic wave absorption performance, Appl. Surf. Sci., 543(2021), art. No. 148785.

[26] Chai L, Wang YQ, Zhou NF, et al. In-situ growth of core-shell ZnFe₂O₄@porous hollow carbon microspheres as an efficient microwave absorber. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2021, 581, 475.

[27] Wu X, Liu K, Ding J W, et al. Construction of Ni-based alloys decorated sucrose-derived carbon hybrid towards: effective microwave absorption application. Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater., 2022, 5(3): 2276.

[28] Z.C. Wu, K. Pei, L. Xing, et al., Enhanced microwave absorption performance from magnetic coupling of magnetic nanoparticles suspended within hierarchically tubular composite, Adv. Funct. Mater., 29(2019), No. 28, art. No. 1901448.

[29] Zhou XF, Jia ZR, Feng AL, et al. Synthesis of fish skin-derived 3D carbon foams with broadened bandwidth and excellent electromagnetic wave absorption performance. Carbon, 2019, 152, 827.

[30] Cheng Y, Cao JM, Li Y, et al. The outside-in approach to construct Fe₃O₄ nanocrystals/mesoporous carbon hollow spheres core-shell hybrids toward microwave absorption. ACS Sustainable Chem. Eng., 2018, 6(1): 1427.

[31] Wang LX, Zhou PP, Guo Y, et al. The effect of ZnCl₂ activation on microwave absorbing performance in walnut shell-derived nano-porous carbon. RSC Adv., 2019, 9(17): 9718.

[32] Wu ZC, Tian K, Huang T, et al. Hierarchically porous carbons derived from biomasses with excellent microwave absorption performance. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2018, 10(13): 11108.

[33] Huang XM, Liu XH, Jia ZR, et al. Synthesis of 3D cerium oxide/porous carbon for enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption performance. Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater., 2021, 4(4): 1398.

[34] Cheng Y, Zhao HQ, Zhao Y, et al. Structure-switchable mesoporous carbon hollow sphere framework toward sensitive microwave response. Carbon, 2020, 161, 870.

[35] Q.L. Wu, H.H. Jin, B. Zhang, et al., Facile synthesis of cobalt-doped porous composites with amorphous carbon/Zn shell for high-performance microwave absorption, Nanomaterials, 10(2020), No. 2, art. No. 330.

[36] X.F. Yang, Y. Zhou, H.N. Xing, et al., MIL-88B (Fe) driven Fe/Fe₃C encapsulated in high-crystalline carbon for high-efficient microwave absorption and electromagnetic interference shielding, J. Phys. D: Appl. Phys., 55(2022), No. 14, art. No. 145003.

[37] Zhang XY, Jia ZR, Zhang F, et al. MOF-derived NiFe₂S₄/porous carbon composites as electromagnetic wave absorber. J. Colloid. Interface Sci., 2022, 610, 610.

[38] Shu RW, Li WJ, Wu Y, Zhang JB, Zhang GY. Nitrogen-doped Co-C/MWCNTs nanocomposites derived from bimetallic metal-organic frameworks for electromagnetic wave absorption in the X-band. Chem. Eng. J., 2019, 362, 513.

[39] Wang CX, Jia ZR, He SQ, et al. Metal-organic framework-derived CoSn/NC nanocubes as absorbers for electromagnetic wave attenuation. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 108, 236.

[40] Shu RW, Li NN, Li XH, Sun JJ. Preparation of FeNi/C composite derived from metal-organic frameworks as high-efficiency microwave absorbers at ultrathin thickness. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2022, 606, 1918.

[41] Zhang ZX, Luo XS, Wang B, Zhang JB. Electron transport improvement of perovskite solar cells via a ZIF-8-derived porous carbon skeleton. ACS Appl. Energy Mater., 2019, 2(4): 2760.

[42] J.H. Wang, C. Cai, Z.J. Zhang, C.L. Li, and R. Liu, Electrospun metal-organic frameworks with polyacrylonitrile as precursors to hierarchical porous carbon and composite nanofibers for adsorption and catalysis, Chemosphere, 239(2020), art. No. 124833.

[43] V. Anh Tran, K.B. Vu, T.T. Thi Vo, et al., Experimental and computational investigation on interaction mechanism of Rhodamine B adsorption and photodegradation by zeolite imidazole frameworks-8, Appl. Surf. Sci., 538(2021), art. No. 148065.

[44] Lim S, Yoon SH, Mochida I, Jung DH. Direct synthesis and structural analysis of nitrogen-doped carbon nanofibers. Langmuir, 2009, 25(14): 8268.

[45] Wen YL, Chen XC, Mijowska E. Insight into the dependence of particle size of ZIF-8 on the performance in nanocarbon-based supercapacitors. Chem. Eur. J., 2020, 26(69): 16328.

[46] Zhang W, Wu ZY, Jiang HL, Yu SH. Nanowire-directed templating synthesis of metal-organic framework nanofibers and their derived porous doped carbon nanofibers for enhanced electrocatalysis. J. Am. Chem. Soc., 2014, 136(41): 14385.

[47] Si WJ, Zhou J, Zhang SM, Li SJ, Xing W, Zhuo SP. Tunable N-doped or dual N,S-doped activated hydrothermal carbons derived from human hair and glucose for supercapacitor applications. Electrochim. Acta, 2013, 107, 397.

[48] Feng W, Zhou Y, Xing HN, et al. Hydrothermal synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene as lightweight and high-efficient electromagnetic wave absorbers. J. Mater. Sci. Mater. Electron., 2021, 32(21): 26116.

[49] Li ZX, Li XH, Zong Y, et al. Solvothermal synthesis of nitrogen-doped graphene decorated by superparamagnetic Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles and their applications as enhanced synergistic microwave absorbers. Carbon, 2017, 115, 493.

[50] Sun Y, Wang YJ, Ma HJ, et al. Fe₃C nanocrystals encapsulated in N-doped carbon nanofibers as high-efficient microwave absorbers with superior oxidation/corrosion resistance. Carbon, 2021, 178, 515.

[51] Li JL, Li CY, Feng SQ, et al. Atomically dispersed Zn−N_x sites in N-doped carbon for reductive N-formylation of nitroarenes with formic acid. ChemCatChem, 2020, 12(6): 1546.

[52] Li G, Xie TS, Yang SL, Jin JH, Jiang JM. Microwave absorption enhancement of porous carbon fibers compared with carbon nanofibers. J. Phys. Chem. C, 2012, 116(16): 9196.

[53] Hou TQ, Jia ZR, He SQ, et al. Design and synthesis of NiCo/Co₄S₃@C hybrid material with tunable and efficient electromagnetic absorption. J. Colloid Interface Sci., 2021, 583, 321.

[54] Feng J, Zong Y, Sun Y, et al. Optimization of porous FeNi₃/N−GN composites with superior microwave absorption performance. Chem. Eng. J., 2018, 345, 441.

[55] Y.J. Wang, Y. Sun, Y. Zong, et al., Carbon nanofibers supported by FeCo nanocrystals as difunctional magnetic/dielectric composites with broadband microwave absorption performance, J. Alloys Compd., 824(2020), art. No. 153980.

[56] Li XH, Feng J, Du YP, et al. One-pot synthesis of CoFe₂O₄/graphene oxide hybrids and their conversion into FeCo/graphene hybrids for lightweight and highly efficient microwave absorber. J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, 3(10): 5535.

[57] M. Qin, L.M. Zhang, X.R. Zhao, and H.J. Wu, Lightweight Ni foam-based ultra-broadband electromagnetic wave absorber, Adv. Funct. Mater., 31(2021), No. 30, art. No. 2103436.

[58] Cao XL, Jia ZR, Hu DQ, Wu GL. Synergistic construction of three-dimensional conductive network and double heterointerface polarization via magnetic FeNi for broadband microwave absorption. Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater., 2022, 5(2): 1030.

[59] Wang HP, Zhou Y, Xing HN, et al. Construction of flowerlike core-shell Fe₃O₄@2H-MoS₂ heterostructures: Boosting the interfacial polarization for high-performance microwave absorption. Ceram. Int., 2022, 48(7): 9918.

[60] D.Q. Zhang, H.H. Wang, J.Y. Cheng, et al., Conductive WS₂-NS/CNTs hybrids based 3D ultra-thin mesh electromagnetic wave absorbers with excellent absorption performance, Appl. Surf. Sci., 528(2020), art. No. 147052.

[61] Sun Y, Zhang JW, Zong Y, et al. Crystalline-amorphous permalloy@iron oxide core-shell nanoparticles decorated on graphene as high-efficiency, lightweight, and hydrophobic microwave absorbents. ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces, 2019, 11(6): 6374.

[62] Sun Y, Zhou B, Wang HP, et al. Boosting dual-interfacial polarization by decorating hydrophobic graphene with high-crystalline core-shell FeCo@Fe₃O₄ nanoparticle for improved microwave absorption. Carbon, 2022, 186, 333.

[63] Sun CH, Jia ZR, Xu S, et al. Synergistic regulation of dielectric-magnetic dual-loss and triple heterointerface polarization via magnetic MXene for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption. J. Mater. Sci. Technol., 2022, 113, 128.

[64] R.W. Shu, X.H. Li, K.H. Tian, and J.J. Shi, Fabrication of bimetallic metal-organic frameworks derived Fe₃O₄/C decorated graphene composites as high-efficiency and broadband microwave absorbers, Composites Part B, 228(2022), art. No. 109423.