Fabrication of Light Weighted Microwave Absorbers Using Silver-Coated Hollow Microspheres

Conductive microspheres with a density of 0.2 g/cc were fabricated by electroless silver plating for application to the light-weighted microwave absorbers. The silver plating was conducted with the variation of plating conditions (sensitizing condition, , concentration, amount of reducing agent). Specimens have very low electro-resistivity. Under an optimum processing condition, conductive microspheres with uniform silver plating layer can be produced. Rubber-sphere composites were fabricated and their microwave absorbing properties were measured by HP8722D Network Analyzer. It was found that the lower the electrical resistance of microsphere, the better the microwave absorbing properties. Feasibility of microwave absorbers using this microspheres can be demonstrated with the result of microwave reflection loss of -15 dB and thickness of 1.44 mm.