Graphene Epoxy-Based Composites as Efficient Electromagnetic Absorbers in the Extremely High-Frequency Band

Abstract

We report on the synthesis of the epoxy-based composites with graphene fillers and testing their electromagnetic shielding efficiency by the quasi-optic free-space method in the extremely high frequency (EHF) band (220 – 325 GHz). The curing adhesive composites were produced by a scalable technique with a mixture of single-layer and few-layer graphene layers of a few-micron lateral dimensions. It was found that the electromagnetic transmission, T, is low even at small concentrations of graphene fillers: T<1 % at frequency of 300 GHz for a composite with only ϕ=1 wt% of graphene. The main shielding mechanism in composites with the low graphene loading is absorption. The composites of 1 mm thickness and graphene loading of 8 wt% provide excellent electromagnetic shielding of 70 dB in the sub-terahertz EHF frequency with negligible energy reflection to the environment. The developed lightweight adhesive composites with graphene fillers can be used as electromagnetic absorbers in the high-frequency microwave radio relays, microwave remote sensors, millimeter wave scanners, and wireless local area networks.