The Co/CoNi sequential configurations based on transparent basalt substrates toward excellent microwave absorption.

[Display omitted] • Transparent basalt is covered with Co/CoNi sequential configurations. • CoNi nanolayers have a net-like morphology at the higher Co ratio. • The effective absorption bandwidth reaches 4.665 GHz at 1.47 mm. • Sequential nanolayers boost the charge transfer and magnetic coupling. The typical design for electromagnetic wave absorbing materials is the composites made of high dielectric components and magnetic materials, which is a single type. This article presents a unique paradigm for high microwave absorption (MA), whereby the transparent basalt substrates are evenly covered by the sequential configurations formed by the entangled Co/CoNi nano-units. The sequential nanostructure consistently displays a net-like morphology at a 5/10 min reaction for the higher Co content in CoNi, exhibiting the regular variety for complex permittivity. On the other hand, it is constructed by the spherical nano-units with a higher Ni ratio in CoNi. After 5 min of reaction, the nanospheres are arranged with the nanogaps, or they are continuously arranged on basalt after 10 min. Correspondingly, the basalt/CoNi composites exhibit unfavorable 'mutation' characteristics with the too-small or too-large complex permittivity, detrimental for optimized MA. As expected, with the specific Co/Ni ratio, the net-like basalt/CoNi obtained at 5 min displays outstanding MA due to appropriate dielectric loss and strong magnetic coupling (−61.98 dB at 2.03 mm, 4.665 GHz at only 1.47 mm). Especially, the nano-scale magnetic coupling is confirmed by micromagnetic simulation. This work breaks the limitations of traditional absorbers and provides new design ideas about magnetic-dielectric components. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]