Magnetic Properties of Nanoparticle–Polymer Composites Prepared Using Surface Modification and Cross-Linking Reaction

Abstract

Polymer composites of magnetic particles are widely used as microwave absorbers. An effective method for obtaining thinner microwave absorbers for device mounting is to increase the volume fraction of magnetic nanoparticles within the composites such that the permeability is enhanced. In this study, composites were prepared using magnetite nanoparticles surface-modified with 4-META (4-methacryloylioxyethyl trimellitate anhydride) and cross-linked with PEG-4SH (pentaerythritol tetra-polyethylene glycol ether with four thiol-modified terminals). These composites have a higher volume fraction of nanoparticles (up to 62 vol%) and higher permeability than conventional epoxy resin composites. In addition, the prepared composites showed good microwave absorption properties (R.L.<−20 dB) with a smaller matching thickness (d=8.0 mm) than the epoxy resin composites (d=9.0 mm).