Facile preparation of CNTs microspheres as improved carbon absorbers for high-efficiency electromagnetic wave absorption.

Carbon nanotubes microspheres (CNTsM) with porous skeleton and net structure were successfully prepared by a facile method of ultrasonic atomization combined with heat treatment. Dielectric characteristics and electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption properties within the frequency range of 2–18 GHz of CNTsM were studied. Owing to increased multiple reflection/scattering, enhanced interfacial polarization and optimized impedance matching, an excellent EMW absorption performance is therefore obtained for CNTsM. The maximum reflection loss (RL) reaches −35 dB at the thickness of 4.6 mm, and a wide effective absorption bandwidth (EAB, RL < −10dB) of 4.4 GHz is achieved with a thickness of 1.5 mm. CNTsM can be regarded as a brand-new competitive candidate for EMW absorption materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]