Crystal structure engineering of GdFeO3/Mxene composites with excellent electromagnetic wave absorption: Role of phase transition and high polarizability

The development of new materials capable of absorbing electromagnetic waves (EMA) is crucial to address issues like signal interference and crosstalk. In this study, we synthesized a novel composite material by combining MXene with GdFeO3 nanoparticles, employing crystal structure engineering to enhance electromagnetic wave attenuation between 2 and 18 GHz. The GdFeO3 (GFO) nanoparticles, sized at 30–40 nm, were evenly dispersed on the MXene layers' surface. Analysis of the composite material through XRD and Raman spectra revealed different phases of GdFeO3, exhibiting distinct crystal symmetries and coordination states. XPS and EPR measurements indicated the coexistence of various valence states of Fe, leading to oxygen vacancies within the lattice. By incorporating MXene, the composite material's specific surface area, and dielectric properties were significantly increased. The improved polarization and phase transition behavior resulted in a remarkable enhancement of the P-E loop, DM constant, and attenuation constant. The combination of the high-quality ferroelectric GdFeO3 and the disordered crystal phase within the multilayered MXene matrix led to enhanced conductive and magnetic losses. Experimental results demonstrated that the Pbnm GdFeO3/MXene composites displayed outstanding EMA performance. At a 4 mm thickness, the minimum reflection loss achieved was − 61.5 dB, and an impressive effective absorption bandwidth of 8.62 GHz was attained at 10.8 GHz. This achievement can be attributed to the exceptional dielectric, magnetic, and multiple reflections contributing to the superior EMA absorption performance, providing a broad band of frequencies. •30–40 nm MXene&GdFeO3 nanocomposites have been synthesized for electromagnetic waves absorption.•Different phases of GdFeO3 were obtained with different crystal symmetries and coordination states.•The coexistence of various valence states of Fe led to oxygen vacancies in the lattice.•Pbnm GdFeO3/MXene composites exhibited excellent EMW absorption performance at 10.8 GHz.•Minimum reflection loss (−61.5 dB,4 mm) and maximum effective bandwidth (8.62 GHz) was achieved.