Fabrication and Microwave Absorption Properties of Low Density Polyethelene-CoFe₂O₄ Nanocomposite

Nano-sized cobalt ferrite (CoFe₂O₄) has been synthesized by novel solution sol–gel auto combustion method from metal nitrates and citric acid with a final pH value of 7. X-ray diffraction pattern (XRD) results showed that the synthesized powder has nanoscale. Low density polyethylene (LDPE) nanocomposites with 3, 5 and 7 wt.% CoFe₂O₄ nanopowder have been fabricated with extrusion mixing and followed up by hot press to reach compact samples. The transmission/reflection measurements were carried out with a network analyzer in the frequency range of 8–12 GHz. By increasing the percent of CoFe₂O₄ nanopowder from 3 to 7 wt.%, reflection loss (S₁₁) increases, while transferring loss (S₂₁) decreases. The reflectivity (^R) calculations have been produced using S₁₁ and S₂₁. Increase in percent of CoFe₂O₄ nanopowder up to 7 wt.% in composite leaded to higher reflectivity amount, and revealed that increasing the percent of CoFe₂O₄ nanopowder up to 7 wt.% leads to further microwave absorption in 8–12 GHz range.