Preparation of thermal infrared and microwave absorber using WO₃/MnFe₃O₄/polyaniline nanocomposites

ABSTRACT

In this study tungsten trioxide has been synthesised as a thermal infrared (TIR) absorbent by sol–gel method and characterised by X-ray diffraction (XRD), field emission scanning electron microscopes (FESEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). XRD analysis shows that the single phase and hexagonal tungstate was prepared. The crystallite size measured by Scherer formula is in good accordance with the crystallite nano size measured by TEM. The polyaniline (PANI) was coated on WO₃/MnFe₂O₃ nanoparticles (NPs, 50/50 wt%) via in situ polymerisation by core-shell structure WO₃/MnFe₂O₃/PANI nanocomposite (50% wt as core). Structural and morphological characteristics of the produced nanocomposite were studied via X-ray diffraction, Fourier transformation infrared spectroscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The electric property was also performed by four probe method. The results showed that the WO₃/MnFe₂O₃/PANI nanocomposites have good electric property. The TIR absorption of nanocomposite was investigated at 10–40 µm frequencies. The TIR images testing showed that the ability of infrared thermal imaging was increased by increasing WO₃/MnFe₂O₃ as core and independent to increasing PANI as final shell. The test microwave absorption properties of the nanoparticles powder dispersing in PANI and thickness of 1.5 mm were investigated by using a vector network analysers in the frequency range of 8–12 GHz. A minimum reflection loss of the nanocomposite reaches -12 dB were observed at 8.8 and 11.6 GHz, respectively.

KEYWORDS:

• Thermal infrared absorbent
• microwave absorber
• polyaniline
• tungsten trioxide nanoparticles
• Conducting polymers
• Nanocomposite
• Nanoparticle

Disclosure statement

No potential conflict of interest was reported by the authors.

Additional information

Notes on contributors

Mahdi Boujar Dolabi

Mahdi Boujar Dolabi was born 20 September 1983 in Tehran.  My Bachelor science was at field applied chemistry from Islamic Azad University, Shareh Ray branch and master science degree at organic chemistry field in Payameh Noor University, Tehran. My research scopes are polymerization on electric and magnetic fields and preparation of IR absorbing materials.

Ali Azimi

Ali Azimi born 21 August 1991 in Tehran.  The period Bachelor at field  Applied Chemistry from Islamic Azad University, East Tehran Branch. A masters degree  the field of polymer chemistry in Islamic Azad University, East Tehran Branch.Currently a PhD student in Organic Chemistry at Islamic Azad University of Science and Technology  in Tehran.

Seyed Hossein Hosseini

Seyed Hossein Hosseini is full Professor of Organic Chemistry and Polymer Science at Imam Hossein and Islamic Azad Universities, Tehran-Iran. His was born in 10 September 1965. His main research interests cover conducting polymers (synthesis and applications) focus are design of new materials such as toxic gas sensors, conductive liquid crystalline polymers. The recent research activities include electromagnetic absorbing materials such as microwave, thermal IR, UV and laser, X-neutron-gama-ray, and etc. for industry and military applications. He has received numerous awards and he has more than 100 research publications in International journals.