Microwave Absorbing Properties of NiZnCu Ferrite and Polychloropren Composites

Radar-absorbing materials (RAMs) have been used in military applications for several decades to reduce radar detection of vessels and aircrafts. In the present work, the performance of Ni0.35Zn0.35Cu0.3Fe2O4 ferrite as a RAM is investigated. The ferrite was firstly synthesized by combustion reaction and then calcinated at 1200 °C for 1 h. Composites were prepared with 80:20, 70:30 and 60:40 concentrations in weight of ferrite:polychloroprene. The X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis showed a single phase ferrite formation and the scanning electron microscopy (SEM) analysis of the composites showed a good dispersion of the ferrite in the polychloroprene matrix. The electromagnetic (EM) characterization of the composites revealed that the EM attenuation is mainly attributed to magnetic losses observed in the material. The 80:20 composite achieved the best performance and presented a reflectivity of -26.7 dB at 10.2 GHz.