Inimitable 3D pyrolytic branched hollow architecture with multi-scale conductive network for microwave absorption

To solve the electromagnetic pollution problem, the reasonable structure design and component control of the electromagnetic absorber is prominent. In this work, three-dimensional (3D) pyrolytic branched hollow architecture carbon PBHAC/MoS 2 composites were prepared via a hydrothermal and calcination two-step strategy. The narrow-gap nano-size MoS 2 acquired after vulcanization and micro-size 3D branched carbon skeleton PBHAC possess intensified conduction losses. Particularly, the presence of potential differences between different phases creates a space charge region at the heterogeneous interface, resulting in strong interfacial polarization. The resulting 3D branched hollow PBHAC/MoS 2 composites exhibit optimized impedance matching and multiple loss mechanisms. Finally, the 3D branched hollow carbon PBHAC/MoS 2 composites have the best electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption performance. The minimum reflection loss (RL min ) is -57.8 dB at 1.93 mm and the maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB max ) is 6.08 GHz at 2 mm, which indicates the excellent EMW absorption performance of the composites. Accordingly, this composite is expected to be a microwave absorber with the characteristics of "thin, light, wide, and strong". (c) 2023 Published by Elsevier Ltd on behalf of The editorial office of Journal of Materials Science & Technology.