Improved synergistic effect for achieving ultrathin microwave absorber of 1D Co nanochains/2D carbide MXene nanocomposite

Although low-dimensional materials have already been studied as attractive electromagnetic wave absorption materials due to unique structure, it is still hard to acquire both ultrathin matching thickness and strong absorbing capability. Herein, multilayer-sandwiched Ti3C2Tx MXene heterostructure decorated with one-dimensional Co nanochains has been synthesized successfully through a facile in situ process. As expected, the EM wave absorbers with ultrathin matching thickness and excellent absorbing capability are realized in the MXene composites. Compared with the MXene/Co nanoparticles, the MXene/Co nanochains composites achieved a minimum reflection loss of −46.48 dB with an ultrathin matching thickness of only 1.02 mm at 16.75 GHz. The intrinsic mechanism of the absorption revealed that the conductive loss, polarization loss, magnetic loss and interlacing magnetic flux field effect contributed to the high-performance microwave absorption. This work not only provided a unique direction for the designing and synthesizing of highly efficient EM wave absorbents with an ultrathin thickness, but also shed additional light on the understanding of the absorbing mechanism. 1D Co nanochains anchored 2D carbide MXene nanocomposites exhibited an excellent electromagnetic absorption performance and ultrathin matching thickness by improving synergistic effect of dielectric and magnetic properties. [Display omitted] •1D amorphous Co nanochains anchored 2D MXene nanocomposites were prepared by a facile method.•MXene/Co nanochains composites had better electromagnetic absorbing properties than MXene/Co nanoparticles composites.•A minimum reflection loss of −46.48 dB with an ultrathin matching thickness of only 1.02 mm was achieved.