High-temperature oxide ceramic microwave absorber enabled by thermionic migration mediated by electron delocalization
Top Cited Papers
Open Access
- 16 October 2025
- journal article
- research article
- Published by Springer Nature in Nature Communications
- Vol. 16 (1) , 1-13
Abstract
The escalating demand for long-term high-temperature microwave-absorbing materials (HTMAMs) in high-speed aerospace stealth is hindered by limitations such as magnetic loss degradation or oxidation risks. Herein, we introduce rare earth zirconate ceramics that exhibit air stability up to 1600 °C. Abundant oxygen vacancies significantly enhance permittivity and thus microwave-absorbing performance through activated thermionic migration at elevated temperatures. Moreover, the thermionic-facilitated permittivity can be meticulously modulated by electron delocalization, with the extent governed by lattice disorder. We demonstrate this concept through a dual-layer Er2Zr2O7/Gd2Zr2O7 structure to further optimize impedance matching, achieving an ultra-wide bandwidth (8.27 GHz) and strong absorption (−64.61 dB) at ultrathin thicknesses under 1.2 mm at 600 °C mainly by macroscopic interfacial resonance, alongside an ultralow thermal conductivity (1.61 W•m-1•K-1). This work presents an innovative approach to design high-performance and anti-oxidative HTMAMs through thermionic migration tuned by electron delocalization, advancing structural-functional integrated materials for extreme environments.Keywords
Funding Information
- National Natural Science Foundation of China (No. 52022042, No. 52305202, No. 52271167, No. 52473296)
This publication has 61 references indexed in Scilit:
- Controlled deintercalation of graphene/organic superlattices with dense atomic-scale steric Schottky heterojunctions for extreme microwave absorptionNature Communications, 2025
- Interface-induced dual-pinning mechanism enhances low-frequency electromagnetic wave lossNature Communications, 2024
- Rational Design of a Core–Shelled Ti3AlC2@La2Zr2O7 Composite for High-Temperature Broadband Microwave AbsorptionACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2023
- Recent progress in TiO 2 -based microwave absorption materialsNanoscale, 2023
- Ultra-dense dislocations stabilized in high entropy oxide ceramicsNature Communications, 2022
- Alternating Multilayered Si3N4/SiC Aerogels for Broadband and High-Temperature Electromagnetic Wave Absorption up to 1000 °CACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2021
- Reduced Graphene Oxide/Silicon Nitride Composite for Cooperative Electromagnetic Absorption in Wide Temperature Spectrum with Excellent Thermal StabilityACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, 2019
- Flexible n-type thermoelectric materials by organic intercalation of layered transition metal dichalcogenide TiS2Nature Materials, 2015
- Ultralow Thermal Conductivity in Highly Anion-Defective AluminatesPhysical Review Letters, 2008
- Microwave absorption in insulating dielectric ionic crystals including the role of point defectsPhysical Review B, 1996