Synthesis, Characterization, and Microwave-Absorbing Properties of Polypyrrole/MnFe2O4Nanocomposite

Abstract

Conductive polypyrrole (PPy)-manganese ferrite (MnFe2O4) nanocomposites with core-shell structure were synthesized by in situ polymerization in the presence of dodecyl benzene sulfonic acid (DBSA) as the surfactant and dopant and iron chloride (FeCl3) as the oxidant. The structure and magnetic properties of manganese ferrite nanoparticles were measured by using powder X-ray diffraction (XRD) and vibrating sample magnetometer (VSM), respectively. Its morphology, microstructure, and DC conductivity of the nanocomposite were characterized by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), and four-wire technique, respectively. The microwave-absorbing properties of the nanocomposite powders dispersing in resin acrylic coating with the coating thickness of 1.5 mm were investigated by using vector network analyzers in the frequency range of 8–12 GHz. A minimum reflection loss of −12 dB was observed at 11.3 GHz.