Dielectric shell regulation in synergy FeCoNi@ZnIn₂S₄ microspheres with broadband electromagnetic wave absorption

Abstract

Core-shell structure and magnetic-dielectric coupling in functional composites are important factors for obtaining excellent electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption performance, but they also face challenges. In this study, magnetic FeCoNi and dielectric ZnIn₂S₄ were combined to form unique core-shell structured microspheres. The morphology characteristics, EM parameters, and absorption performance of FeCoNi@ZnIn₂S₄ composites with different annealing temperatures were investigated to reveal impedance matching and synergistic absorption mechanisms. Those results show that FeCoNi@ZnIn₂S₄-600 (FCNZ-600) has excellent EM wave absorption properties, with the minimum reflection loss (RL_min) of -52.4 dB at 1.9 mm and the efficient absorption bandwidth of 6.08 GHz at 1.53 mm, which achieves broadband absorption. Core-shell magnetic-dielectric design provides a new perspective in efficient EM wave absorption systems.

Keywords

Core-shell / FeCoNi@ZnIn₂S₄ / high broadband / electromagnetic wave absorption

References

[1] Gao J,Liu F,Meng K.Preparation and microwave absorption properties of Gd–Co ferrite@silica@carbon multilayer core–shell structure composites.Chem Eng J2022;446:137157

[2] Jiang B,Zhang F.Electrospinning fabrication of hollow C@TiO₂/Fe₃C nanofibers composites for excellent wave absorption at a low filling content.Chem Eng J2024;495:153663

[3] Wei H,Bachagha K.Component optimization and microstructure design of carbon nanotube-based microwave absorbing materials: a review.Carbon2024;217:118651

[4] Wang J,Li Q,Zhang Q.Synthesis and microwave absorbing properties of N-doped carbon microsphere composites with concavo-convex surface.Carbon2021;184:195-206

[5] Rehman SU,Li Z.Hierarchical-bioinspired MOFs enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption.Small2024;20:e2306466

[6] Habibpour S,Salari M.Synergistic layered design of aerogel nanocomposite of graphene nanoribbon/MXene with tunable absorption dominated electromagnetic interference shielding.Small2024;20:e2404876

[7] Wang B,Duan G,Pi F.Review of broadband metamaterial absorbers: from principles, design strategies, and tunable properties to functional applications.Adv Funct Mater2023;33:2213818

[8] Wang X,Zhu H,Liu T.State of the art and prospects of Fe₃O₄/carbon microwave absorbing composites from the dimension and structure perspective.Adv Colloid Interface Sci2023;318:102960

[9] Zeng X,Yu R.Electromagnetic microwave absorption theory and recent achievements in microwave absorbers.Carbon2020;168:606-23

[10] Abdalla I,Ali S.Impact of defect-rich carbon nanofibers combined with magnetic materials on broadband electromagnetic wave absorption and radar cross-section reduction.Small Struct2025;6:2400624

[11] Cai L,Zhu X.Etching engineering and electrostatic self-assembly of N-doped MXene/hollow Co-ZIF hybrids for high-performance microwave absorbers.Chem Eng J2022;434:133865

[12] Zhang Y,Gao S.Multi-scale magnetic and electric interaction in gradient magnetic-dielectric heterostructures with excellent low-frequency electromagnetic wave absorption.Nano Res2025;

[13] An J,He Z.Synthesis and microwave absorption property of nanostructured Ketjen black/Fe₃O₄ core/shell particles.Rare Met2022;41:3351-9

[14] Cui Y,Wang J,Zhang Q.Preparation of pleated RGO/MXene/Fe₃O₄ microsphere and its absorption properties for electromagnetic wave.Carbon2021;172:1-14

[15] Song J,Liu H.Effect of surface state of SiC fibers on their interfacial properties.Compos Commun2025;53:102232

[16] Meng X,Han G,Yu Y.Three-dimensional (Fe₃O₄/ZnO)@C Double-core@shell porous nanocomposites with enhanced broadband microwave absorption.Carbon2020;162:356-64

[17] He J,Zhang Y,Li H.N-doped residual carbon from coal gasification fine slag decorated with Fe₃O₄ nanoparticles for electromagnetic wave absorption.J Mater Sci Technol2022;104:98-108

[18] Dong C,Wang H.CoSe₂@polythiophene core-shell composites with enhanced interfacial polarization for high-performance broadband electromagnetic absorption.Carbon2023;215:118459

[19] Shu R,Liu B.Preparation of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide/zinc ferrite@nitrogen-doped carbon composite for broadband and highly efficient electromagnetic wave absorption.J Mater Sci Technol2025;214:16-26

[20] Yu S,Zhang G.Improved broadband design of SiC/MWCNT absorbing materials through synergistic regulation of heterointerface structure and triple periodic minimal surface meta-structure.Carbon2024;226:119181

[21] Fan X,Wang J.Constructing magnetic iron-based core-shell structure and dielectric nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide nanocomposite for enhanced microwave absorption performance.Appl Surf Sci2023;607:155013

[22] Chen J,Hou Y.Graphene aerogel encapsulated double carbon shell CoFe@C@C nanocubes for construction of high performance microwave absorbing materials.Carbon2024;224:119081

[23] Zhao Y,Yang X.In situ construction of hierarchical core–shell Fe₃O₄@C nanoparticles–helical carbon nanocoil hybrid composites for highly efficient electromagnetic wave absorption.Carbon2021;171:395-408

[24] Li Z,Rao L.Wrinkle structure regulating electromagnetic parameters in constructed core-shell ZnFe₂O₄@PPy microspheres as absorption materials.Small2024;20:e2308581

[25] Si W,Chu Y,Chu X.A multi-layer core-shell structure CoFe₂O₄@Fe₃C@NiO composite with high broadband electromagnetic wave-absorption performance.Nanoscale2023;15:16381-9

[26] Yang B,Xu C.One-dimensional magnetic FeCoNi alloy toward low-frequency electromagnetic wave absorption.Nanomicro Lett2022;14:170 PMCID:PMC9392832

[27] Huang M,Liu Q,Che R.Interface compatibility engineering of Multi-shell Fe@C@TiO₂@MoS₂ heterojunction expanded microwave absorption bandwidth.Chem Eng J2022;429:132191

[28] Liu J,Zang D.A competitive reaction strategy toward binary metal sulfides for tailoring electromagnetic wave absorption.Adv Funct Mater2021;31:2105018

[29] Cheng D,Liu C.High microwave absorption performance of NiS₂/rGO nanocomposites with a thin thickness.J Phys Chem Solids2021;157:110222

[30] Xu R,Feng S.Microstructure optimization strategy of ZnIn₂S₄/rGO composites toward enhanced and tunable electromagnetic wave absorption properties.Dalton Trans2023;52:15057-70

[31] Chaudhari NS,Kale BB.Architecture of rose and hollow marigold-like ZnIn₂S₄ flowers: structural, optical and photocatalytic study.RSC Adv2014;4:12182

[32] Li M,Li Y.Constructing CdIn₂S₄/ZnS type-I band alignment heterojunctions by decorating CdIn₂S₄ on ZnS microspheres for efficient photocatalytic H₂ evolution.Int J Hydrogen Energy2023;48:37224-33

[33] Zhang C,Wei Y.ZnGa₂S₄: an infrared nonlinear optical material with large second-harmonic generation response and wide band gap.Rare Met2024;43:395-401

[34] Lu X,Wang Y.Construction of ZnIn₂S₄ nanosheets/3D carbon heterostructure with Schottky contact for enhancing electromagnetic wave absorption performance.Chem Eng J2022;431:134078

[35] Wei Y,Wang J.Rationally designed dual cocatalysts on ZnIn₂S₄ nanoflowers for photoredox coupling of benzyl alcohol oxidation with H₂ evolution.J Mater Chem A2024;12:18986-92

[36] Li P,Zhao Y.Trimetallic Prussian blue analogue derived FeCo/FeCoNi@NPC composites for highly efficient microwave absorption.Compos Part B Eng2022;246:110268

[37] Li Q,Zheng M.Spatial coupling of photocatalytic CO₂ reduction and selective oxidation on covalent triazine framework/ZnIn₂S₄ core–shell structures.Adv Funct Mater2025;35:2417279

[38] Shen J,Han C,Zeng G.Three-dimensional flower-like FeCoNi/reduced graphene oxide nanosheets with enhanced impedance matching for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption.J Alloys Compd2021;883:160877

[39] Xu X,Jiao Z.Improving absorption performance and microstructure of Zr-V-Fe-Co alloys by substitution of Y element for Fe.J Mater Eng Perform2025;

[40] Adhikari A,Rai R.(Fe-Co-Ni-Zn)-based metal-organic framework-derived electrocatalyst for zinc-air batteries.Nanomaterials2023;13:2612 PMCID:PMC10534837

[41] Rabchinskii MK,Brzhezinskaya M.Rationalizing graphene-ZnO composites for gas sensing via functionalization with amines.Nanomaterials2024;14:735 PMCID:PMC11085583

[42] Rabchinskii MK,Ryzhkov SA.A blueprint for the synthesis and characterization of thiolated graphene.Nanomaterials2021;12:45 PMCID:PMC8746421

[43] Yang K,Liu Z,Zhang Q.Design of core–shell structure NC@MoS₂ hierarchical nanotubes as high-performance electromagnetic wave absorber.Chem Eng J2021;426:131308

[44] Jiang X,Song L.Enhancing electromagnetic wave absorption with core-shell structured SiO₂@MXene@MoS₂ nanospheres.Carbon Energy2024;6:e502

[45] Jiang R,Wang J,Wu G.Controlled formation of multiple core-shell structures in metal-organic frame materials for efficient microwave absorption.J Colloid Interface Sci2023;648:25-36

[46] Wen B,Lin Y.Synthesis of core–shell Co@S-doped carbon@ mesoporous N-doped carbon nanosheets with a hierarchically porous structure for strong electromagnetic wave absorption.J Mater Chem A2021;9:3567-75

[47] Wang X,Han X.One-dimensional multicomponent nanofibers engineered as heterostructures for electromagnetic stealth applications.J Alloys Compd2025;1028:180631

[48] Cheng Y,Ren J.Component-based modulation engineering to improve magnetoelectric coupling for self-anticorrosion broadband absorption.Carbon2025;239:120325

[49] Zhu J,Zhang S.0D/1D hollow heterogeneous structure to induce self-assembly of CNTs for optimized self-anticorrosion and electromagnetic wave absorption performance.Carbon2025;238:120310

[50] Yu B,Lv C.Antimony-hybridization engineering in p-n heterojunctions for optimized electromagnetic wave absorption.Small2025;21:e2500918

[51] Zhang S,Chen G.Achieving high performance microwave attenuation by anchoring magnetic CoNi nanoparticles onto few-layer Ti₃C₂T_xMXene.J Alloys Compd2025;1023:180015

[52] Feng S,Ma J.Fabrication of hollow Ni/NiO/C/MnO₂@polypyrrole core-shell structures for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption.Compos Part B Eng2024;275:111344

[53] Han Y,Fu Q.Heterogeneous three-dimensional FeSiAl@SiO₂@MoS₂ composite with a SiO₂ wave-transmitting layer for enhanced electromagnetic wave absorption performance.J Mater Chem A2024;12:25322-33

[54] Zhu H,Fu R.Cu/NC@Co/NC composites derived from core-shell Cu-MOF@Co-MOF and their electromagnetic wave absorption properties.J Colloid Interface Sci2022;613:182-93

[55] Chang Q,Sui J,Zhang Z.Ni/Ni₃ZnC_0.7 modified alginate-derived carbon composites with porous structures for electromagnetic wave absorption.Carbon2022;200:166-77

[56] Li W,Ying Y.Multifunctional flower-like core-shell Fe/Fe₄N@SiO₂ composites for broadband and high-efficiency ultrathin electromagnetic wave absorber.J Mater Sci Technol2023;132:90-9

[57] Zhao X,Liu X,Zong M.Magnetic nanorods/carbon fibers heterostructures coated with flower-like MoS₂ layers for superior microwave absorption.Carbon2023;213:118265

[58] Jiao Z,Ma M.One-dimensional core-shell CoC@CoFe/C@PPy composites for high-efficiency microwave absorption.J Colloid Interface Sci2023;650:2014-23

[59] Wu Z,Zeng X.Dual magnetic particles modified carbon nanosheets in CoFe/Co@NC heterostructure for efficient electromagnetic synergy.Soft Sci2024;4:42

[60] Fan X,Li L.Recent progress and perspective of microwave absorption materials derived from metal-organic frameworks.Soft Sci2024;4:43

[61] Xiao J,He M.Interfacial polarization loss improvement induced by the hollow engineering of necklace-like PAN/carbon nanofibers for boosted microwave absorption.Adv Funct Mater2025;35:2316722

[62] Rao L,Wang X.Atomic infusion induced reconstruction enhances multifunctional thermally conductive films for robust low-frequency electromagnetic absorption.Angew Chem Int Ed Engl2025;64:e202418338

[63] Deng W,Li H.MOF derivatives with gradient structure anchored on carbon foam for high-performance electromagnetic wave absorption.Small2024;20:e2309806