An experiment to observe the effect of gamma radiation on microwave absorption properties of Li-substituted nickel ferrite

Microwave absorption is a crucial aspect of modern technology, with applications ranging from communication systems to stealth technology. Throughout the years, researchers have investigated many strategies and experimented with various techniques to improve microwave absorption. In this study, the potential of gamma radiation for enhancing microwave absorption has been investigated. Unique properties of gamma radiations such as its ability to generate free electrons and defects in materials, allow it to modify the dielectric and magnetic properties of the material which increase its losses, thus enhancing microwave absorption. The improvement of microwave absorption in lithium-substituted nickel ferrite (LNFO) sample after being exposed to high-energy gamma radiation in an adequately protected Co 60 gamma radiation chamber has been reported here. The results show a decrease in average grain size of gamma-irradiated sample. Also, the LNFO sample which had no absorption bandwidth, showed 3.8 GHz absorption bandwidth after gamma irradiation in 3–6.8 GHz frequency range with 3.0 mm coating thickness. The results show that gamma radiation can significantly improve the microwave absorption of materials, making it a promising technique for obtaining high microwave absorption properties.