Microwave absorbing processing based on carbon nanotubes and PANI

• Grant number: 16/12938-1
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships in Brazil - Scientific Initiation
• Start date: September 01, 2016
• End date: August 31, 2017
• Field of knowledge: Engineering - Aerospace Engineering
• Principal Investigator: Mirabel Cerqueira Rezende
• Grantee: Rafaela Chinelatto Flipsen
• Host Institution: Instituto de Ciência e Tecnologia (ICT). Universidade Federal de São Paulo (UNIFESP). Campus São José dos Campos. São José dos Campos , SP, Brazil

Abstract

This research project involves the study and processing of radar absorbing materials, named RAM, using carbon nanotubes (CNT) and composites based on CNT and the polyaniline (PAni) conducting polymer, respectively, embedded in a commercial epoxy resin matrix. The CNT/PAni composite will be obtained by in situ synthesis of PAni in the presence of CNT. These materials will be initially characterized by optical microscopy and scanning electron microscopy techniques. Afterwards, composites based on these additives in epoxy resin, with different concentrations (0.1 - 30%, wt/wt), and 9mm-thickness, will be prepared. These materials will be evaluated by electromagnetic characterization, measuring the reflectivity with metallic plate and the complex parameters of electric permittivity and magnetic permeability, ¼ and µ, respectively, in the X-band (8.2 to 12.4 GHz). These parameters will feed an algorithm to perform computer simulations to predict the influence of the compositions of the formulations and the thickness of the specimens on the performance of prepared RAM.