Activating microwave absorption via noncovalent interaction at interface based on metal-free graphene nanosheets

Abstract Metal-free graphene-based nanocomposites with small organic molecules interaction are studied as a lightweight, wide bandwidth, and strong absorption microwave absorption material. During hydrothermal process, graphene oxide (GO) precursors are reduced and aggregated into 3D porous network structure. Meanwhile, anthraquinone molecules are intercalated and immobilized on RGO surface through noncovalent π–π stacking. For the obtained RGO@anthraquinone, noncovalent functionalization at interface can modify the electronic states and regulate the electrical conductivity of graphene substrate and its sheet-like structure can be largely maintained. Integrating the intrinsic 3D porous structure, good impedance matching, high conductive loss, and noncovalent interaction, the as-achieved RGO@anthraquinone composites exhibit excellent microwave absorption performance in the X and Ku band. Such as RGO@2-hydroxyanthraquinone (2-HAQ), its optimal absorption toward microwave can reach −54.2 dB at 12.8 GHz with a thickness of 3.0 mm, and its effective absorption bandwidth lower than −10 dB exceeds 7.0 GHz (from 10.96 to 18.0 GHz). When the thickness is controlled between 2.8 and 3.5 mm, the effective absorption bandwidth can cover the whole X and Ku bands (8.0–18.0 GHz). This opens ways to achieve new microwave absorbers with high-performance and provides more opportunities to activate MA behavior on carbon-based metal-free absorbers.