Microwave absorption analysis of graphene decorated carbon fiber reinforced electromagnetic material

The growing demand for 5G/6G networks and advanced electronic devices has intensified interest in novel electromagnetic shielding materials. This study investigates carbon fiber fabric (CFF)-based composites reinforced with graphene nanoparticles (GNPs), highlighting their superior electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding and microwave absorption properties. GNP inclusion significantly alters the material's complex permittivity, with real and imaginary components ranging from 3.2 to 6.2 and 0.012 to 0.15, respectively, in the low-frequency regime. Microscopic analysis reveals distinct surface morphology changes, while FTIR confirms compositional modifications, elucidating enhanced EMI shielding mechanisms. The epoxy/CFF/1% GNP composite achieves > 99% microwave absorption in the X-band with a minimum thickness of 3 mm, outperforming epoxy/CFF counterparts. These findings highlights the potential of graphene-modified epoxy/CFF composites for mitigating electromagnetic pollution in advanced technological applications.