Structural, Optical, and Electromagnetic Microwave Absorption Properties of Bael Leaves: A Simple Approach to Investigate Microwave Absorption Properties with 3D Printed PLA Tubes

In recent years, the use of natural materials for various applications has become increasingly popular due to the growing awareness of the environmental impact of man-made materials and the need to find cost-effective solutions for different applications. This study presents a new method to analyze the microwave absorption properties of dried and sintered Bael (Aegle marmelos) leaves, using 3D printed hollow rectangular polylactic acid (PLA) tubes. This innovative approach allows for a more precise investigation of the absorption properties of the leaves, providing valuable insights into their potential microwave-absorbing materials applications. The results of the VNA (vector network analyzer) test showed that a 9-mm thickness of dried Bael leaves exhibited excellent reflection losses of - 28.64 dB at 11.35 GHz and an effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 3.20 GHz below - 10 dB in the X-band region. In addition, when the amount of powder in the dried and sintered Bael leaves samples was varied while being tested using 3D PLA tubes, the results revealed that both samples had good microwave absorption performance. The dried sample had an EAB of 2.75 GHz, while the sintered sample had a comparable EAB of 2.55 GHz with 6 x 10 PLA tubes. This suggests that the Bael leaves along with PLA are more effective at absorbing microwaves than other materials.