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The compound eyes of the dragonfly, Pantala flavescens Fabricius, are covered by micro-scaled ocelli capable of sensing polarized light, an attractive property for radar stealth and counterreconnaissance. In this work, we fabricated biomimetic electromagnetic wave absorption materials (EAMs) by analyzing the covert information identifications of biological systems and focusing on the design of metastructures and microstructures. Several bionic metasurfaces with anisotropic double-V meta atoms made up of (FeCoNiSi

The inability of existing electromagnetic wave absorbing materials (EAMs) to manipulate electromagnetic waves in multiple dimensions leads to the failure to satisfy the demands placed on electromagnetic (EM) defense technology by the current complex EM environment. To break this dilemma, this study focuses on the impedance properties of EAMs, conferring additional ability to disperse and deflect reflected waves by encoding EAMs with opposite phase responses in different impedance mismatch modes. Due to the synergy of both absorption and scattering mechanisms, the developed scattering metasurface absorber exhibits excellent anti-reflection performance, with reflectivity below 0.1 in the 7.8-16.7 GHz at 2 mm thickness. Furthermore, a genetic algorithm is employed to tailor the desired scattering field to meet the stealth requirements of specific environments, allowing for the directional transmission of EM energy in the one-dimensional or homogeneous distribution in the three-dimensional. The proposed scattering metasurface absorber constructed by coded EAMs exhibited excellent anti-reflection properties and environmental stealth adaptability, opening up new possibilities for the development of advanced EM defense technology.

The undesirable absorption bandwidth is the main limitation for the application of microwave absorbing materials. Noting that the design of structure and composition of absorbing coating allows it to obtain a satisfying absorption bandwidth and to avoid weight increasing, honeycomb and its sandwich structures coated by various absorbant have been developed and measured using an arch measurement system over 2−18 GHz. To further understand the absorption mechanisms of honeycomb structural materials, simulation based on finite element method and transmission line theory is performed to analyze the different responses to the applied microwave between honeycomb structural materials and uniform-medium slab materials. The proper composition design allows control over the microwave loss mechanisms, which optimize the coating to possess both of the dielectric and magnetic advantages. For the honeycomb structural materials, the magnetic resonation is found for the first time, which is resulting from the periodic honeycomb walls on both sides of the dielectric cavity (consisting of the aramid paper interlayer and vacuum hexagonal prisms). In addition, the conversion of structure from solid to honeycomb brings about changes in impedance, propagating path, effective wavelength, effective attenuation area, microwave phases, and inductive coupling effect, etc., which result in a better microwave absorbing performance. The honeycomb sandwich structure coated by CIP/CB/EP with the weight ratio of 4:0.03:1 shows the absorption bandwidth of ∼9.8 GHz for reflection loss (RL) lower than -10 dB which covers part of the S and C bands and almost the whole X and Ku bands.

Electromagnetic (EM) absorbers serving in the megahertz (MHz) band and a wide temperature range (from -50 to 150 °C) require high and temperature-stable permeability for outstanding EM absorption performance. Herein, FeCoNiCr

Two dimensional (2D) nitrogen-doped graphene@amorphous carbon was constructed by in-situ polymerization of sandwich-like structured polyaniline/graphene oxide composites then carbonization at 650 °C in vacuum. The results revealed that the as-prepared 2D N-doped graphene@amorphous carbon and N-doped amorphous carbon nanorods have almost the same decomposition degree and crystal structure. However larger defective degree and more polar bonds are conducive to enhance the polarization loss capacity, and larger dielectric constant can contribute to prominent conductive loss potential. The standing-wave ratio at 13.325 GHz of 2D N-doped graphene@amorphous carbon is 1.08426 approaching to 1, almost perfect impedance-matching level achieving. HFSS simulations certify phase mutation, group delay and the resonance response between N-doped graphene@amorphous carbon and testing microwave, as well as the stronger microwave loss capacity and better impedance matching. Both of the above make 2D N-doped graphene@amorphous carbon a promising microwave absorbing material. The minimum reflection loss (RL) of nitrogen-doped graphene@amorphous carbon can reach −29.5 dB and the effective absorbing bandwidth (EAB, RL

The earliest microwave absorbing materials (MAMs) are fabricated in the early 20th century for military purpose to inhibit radar detection. Currently, the application of MAMs has been existing in every part of human's life to prevent radiation and interference. The microwave absorbant and microwave absorbing coatings classified by composition including alloys, metal oxides, conductive polymers, carbon materials, ceramic materials both in traditional and innovative forms are introduced in this work. Considering the harsh and complex application environment, MAMs with high temperature resistance and infrared-compatible stealth performance are involved. Metamaterials, showing excellent electromagnetic properties which are far beyond that of the materials can achieve, including perfect absorber, digitally coded control metamaterials, bionic structural materials, and adjustable smart metamaterials, are also introduced specifically in this work. In addition, to investigate electromagnetic response of absorbant, the first-principles calculations works are overviewed. The electromagnetic properties, loss mechanisms, structure, fabrication method, regulation approaches, designing principles, current applications, and future prospects of MAMs are involved in this work. This work gives a comprehensively overview over the MAMs for their theoretical and experimental advances in recent years including the military radar (frequency range of 2–18 GHz) stealth materials, relevant infrared compatible (infrared-visible, infrared-radar, infrared-laser) stealth materials, and other stealth materials with multifrequency adaptability.

Electromagnetic wave absorption materials for megahertz (MHz) frequency range remains a key core issue that the poor effective attenuation performance and impedance mismatch. Based on previous research and theoretical analysis, an effective solution is to improve the real and imaginary parts of the complex permeability. In addition, the absorbents are also required to have excellent temperature stability and oxidation resistance due to exposure to harsh environments such as air and high temperature. Herein, the FeCoNiCr0.4CuX high entropy alloys powders (HEAs) with planar anisotropy are prepared by mechanical alloying method. Relying on the “cocktail effect” of HEAs, the addition of appropriate Cu element can increase the aspect ratio of the particles and the shape-dependent anisotropy field to further improve the permeability. Experimentally, the real part of the permeability for the FeCoNiCr0.4Cu0.2 HEAs ranges from 2.7 to 7.5 and the imaginary part of the permeability can reach 2.7 in the MHz frequency range. The maximum reflection loss can reach −33.6 dB at 484 MHz and the effective absorption bandwidth (reflection loss

Perfect stealth has attracted humanity for decades owing to the advent of metamaterials, however, despite long-standing efforts in design and fabrication, it has been challenging to achieve ultra-broadband absorption under deep-subwavelength thickness, the fundamental hurdle is Plank-Rozanov limit, which hindering the development of stealth materials. Herein, inspired by the absorption model of Pachliopta aristolochiae, present works demonstrate an approach with composition concept to ideal stealth, through the synergy of microwave melanin and bionic metastructure, the fabricated biomimetic metamaterials exhibit effective absorption over 2–18 GHz range under 0.04 λmax thickness for radar stealth, which breakthrough the Plank-Rozanov limit by utilizing the enhanced resonance of bionic metastructure in absorption, corresponding mechanisms are demonstrated by simulation models. The metamaterials also robustness for arrangement and polarizations, compatible infrared emissivity is reduced to 0.43, as well as flexibility and impact resistance during minus temperature. The principle behind here is universal and can be extended to many metamaterials and a broad range of absorption.

The microwave absorbers developed so far encounter a bottleneck for the constraint of absorption by deep sub-wavelength thickness. In this work, we report enhanced and tunable structural composite metamaterials, which were fabricated by parallel and orthogonal arrayed Fe-Si alloy ribbons sandwiched between two layers of carbonyl iron powder/polyurethane matrix. It demonstrated a minimum resonance peak value −66.90 dB under deep sub-wavelength thickness (1.25 mm), an extraordinary result that indicated almost complete absorption. The absorption of 90% (reflection loss (RL)

Although various photonic devices inspired by natural materials have been developed, there is no research focusing on multibands adaptability, which is not conducive to the advancement of materials science. Herein, inspired by the moth eye surface model, state-of-the-art hierarchical metamaterials (MMs) used as tunable devices in multispectral electromagnetic-waves (EMWs) frequency range, from microwave to ultraviolet (UV), are designed and prepared. Experimentally, the robust broad bandwidth of microwave absorption greater than 90% (reflection loss (RL) < -10 dB) covering almost entire X and Ku bands (8.04-17.88 GHz) under a deep sub-wavelength thickness (1 mm) is demonstrated. The infrared emissivity is reduced and does not affect the microwave absorption simultaneously, further realizing anti-reflection and camouflage via the strong visible light scattering by the microstructure, and can prevent degradation by reducing the transmittance to less than 10% over the whole near UV band, as well as having hydrophobic abilities. The mechanism explored via simulation model is that topological effects are found in the bio-structure. This discovery points to a pathway for using natural models to overcome physical limits of MMs and has promising prospect in novel photonic materials.