Enhanced microwave absorption properties of Zn-substituted SrW-type hexaferrite composites in the Ku-band

Enhanced microwave absorption properties were successfully achievable from SrFe2-xZnxFe16O27 (SrFe2-xZnxW; x = 0.0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0) hexaferrite filler-epoxy resin matrix composites. The composite samples were fabricated with the filler volume fractions (Vf) of 30, 50, 70, and 90%. Compared with fully Zn-substituted SrZn2W composite (x = 2.0), unsubstituted and partially Zn-substituted SrFe2-xZnxW (x = 0.0, 0.5, and 1.0) composites exhibited much higher real and imaginary parts of complex permittivity (er), which is attributable to higher electron hopping between Fe2+ and Fe3+ ions, and also slightly higher real and imaginary parts of complex permeability (μr) due to higher saturation magnetization (Ms). Among all samples, a 2.8 mm-thick SrFe1·5Zn0·5W (x = 0.5) composite with the Vf of 90% exhibited the most appropriate for application in the region of 3.4–3.8 GHz, having the minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −46 dB at 3.6 GHz with the bandwidth of 0.43 GHz (3.38–3.81 GHz) below −10 dB, while a 2.15 mm-thick SrFeZnW (x = 1.0) composite with the Vf of 70% showed the most appropriate for application in the region of 5.9–7.1 GHz, possessing the RLmin value of −23.7 dB at 6.6 GHz with the bandwidth of 1.38 GHz (5.85–7.23 GHz) below −10 dB. Consequently, partially Zn-substituted SrW-type hexaferrites are very promising microwave absorbers for 5G mobile communications in the Ku band (0.5–18 GHz).