Fabrication and Characterization of FeMnCo/Nanofiber for Radar Absorbing Material by Electrospinning

Abstract

With the rapid advancement of modern radar technologies, the development of materials capable ofattenuating or eliminating electromagnetic wave reflection has become a critical area of research inelectromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and radar stealth engineering. These materials are not onlyessential for reducing radar detectability in military applications but also for safeguarding sensitive electronicsystems and minimizing electromagnetic exposure in biological systems. This study focuses on the fabricationand characterization of a high-performance radar absorbing material effective in the X-band and Ku-bandfrequency ranges, which are commonly used in advanced defense radar systems. A novel nanocomposite wasdeveloped by incorporating 40 wt% FeMnCo alloy particles into a polyacrylonitrile (PAN) matrix viaelectrospinning. The resulting nanofiber architecture exhibited a uniform, cross-linked network with fiberdiameters ranging from 200 to 400 nm, as confirmed by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). X-rayDiffraction (XRD) confirmed uniform nanofiber formation and phase stability. Electromagnetic waveabsorption properties were evaluated using a Vector Network Analyzer (VNA). The composite exhibitedbroadband absorption behavior with reflection loss (RL) values below -20 dB across both the X and Ku bands,indicating excellent radar attenuation performance. A minimum RL of -67.59 dB was recorded at 15.40 GHz,demonstrating the material’s strong potential for stealth and EMI shielding applications. The findings highlightthe synergistic effect of ferromagnetic FeMnCo alloy particles and the high surface area of the nanofibrousmorphology in enhancing dielectric and magnetic loss mechanisms. This work contributes to the growing fieldof radar absorbing materials by offering a scalable and efficient approach to next-generation stealth technologiesand electromagnetic protection systems. Future studies may focus on optimizing the composite’s thickness,multi-layer configurations, and environmental durability to further improve real-world applicability and longterm performance.