Development of microwave absorbing materials based on DBSA doped polyaniline/Pb(Zr0.52Ti0.48)O3 nanocomposites

Abstract

The microwave absorbers based on Lead zirconium titanate [Pb(Zr 0.52Ti0.48)O3] - DBSA-doped polyaniline nanocomposites in different compositions were prepared in epoxy resin polymeric matrices by keeping the filler concentration ∼30% in all the samples. Lead zirconium titanate nanoparticles were prepared by homogeneous precipitation method and dodecylbenzene sulfonic acid (DBSA)-doped polyaniline was prepared by chemical oxidation route. Doping of DBSA with polyaniline was confirmed by Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscope (FTIR). Crystallinity & phase analysis have examined by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and morphological analysis was done by scanning electron microscope (SEM), transmission electron microscope (TEM). Energy dispersive X-ray spectroscope (EDS) confirmed the presence of chemical constituents in the prepared composites. The important parameters like real & imaginary parts of permittivity Ïμr=Ïμ′- jÏμ″ have been measured at different microwave frequencies in X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) by employing vector network analyzer (PNA E8364B) and software module 85071. With the help of these permittivity values, return loss (dB) values of the absorbers have been calculated. The prepared absorbers showed enhanced microwave absorbing properties in wide range of frequency in the X-band (8.2-12.4 GHz) region with a minimum return loss of -49.39 dB at 9.38 GHz. The microwave absorbing properties of the nanocomposites were improved with increasing % of polyaniline. © 2013 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim.