Fe₃O₄ modified graphene epoxy composite materials via polyether amine reduction with enhanced microwave absorption performance

Abstract The increasing complexity of electromagnetic environments demands the development of advanced absorbers with superior performance. In this study, a novel magnetic Fe 3 O 4 -modified graphene-based absorber (FARGO) is synthesized via an in situ reduction process using polyether amine. The resulting FARGO composite exhibits excellent microwave absorption properties. When the filling content of FARGO is 5 wt% in epoxy resin, the optimal reflection loss is −23.12 dB with a thickness of 4 mm and a broad absorption bandwidth of 5.6 GHz can be achieved as the thickness changes to 2 mm. Polyether amine efficiently reduces GO to rGO, significantly improving electrical conductivity. Simultaneously, it grafts amine groups onto the graphene surface, enhancing dispersion and reactivity within the epoxy resin matrix. These synergistic effects make it a promising candidate for high-performance microwave absorbing materials.