A multi-layer design of hexaferrite decorated graphene derivatives incorporated PVDF nanocomposite films; understanding the role of GO/ rGO for outstanding electromagnetic wave absorption at microwave frequencies

Y -type strontium hexaferrite (SrY) nanoparticles are prepared by sol gel synthesis route and the nanoparticles are taken with graphene oxide (GO) and reduced graphene oxide (rGO) separately to prepare SrY/GO and SrY/rGO binary nanofillers. These two binary nanofillers reinforced PVDF mono -layer and multi -layer nanocomposite films (SrY/GO/PVDF and SrY/rGO/PVDF) have been prepared to analyse their complex permeability and permittivity, microwave absorption ability in 8-12 GHz (X -band) range. The crystallographic phase, chemical composition and the successful incorporation of the binary nanofillers inside PVDF was confirmed by XRD, XPS, RAMAN and FESEM analysis. J -E characterization of SrY/rGO/PVDF and SrY/GO/PVDF films verify the occurrence of conductive channels inside PVDF matrix for former and the development of polarization effect for later under external electric field. The high magnetization and coercivity of -28.24 emu/g and 1200 Oe at room temperature (RT) corresponding to SrY nanoparticles is favourable at incurring high magnetic losses for X -band. A remarkable enhancement in total shielding effectiveness (SET) from -63.16 dB to -82.53 dB has been observed for multi -layer SrY/GO/PVDF films as compared to its mono -layer structure. The majority of the contribution for SET is the shielding effectiveness due to absorption (SEA) (-60.11 dB) as compared to the same for reflection (SER) (-24.26 dB) at a matching frequency of -9.6 GHz. However, in case of SrY/rGO/PVDF films the predominance of SER over SEA has been observed. Therefore, our results could act as a pathway in devising a graphene/polymer-based magneto -electric laminated nanocomposite system for lightweight and customized microwave shield within the X -band frequency.