Dielectric-magnetic synergy in ferrite/carbon composites for electromagnetic microwave absorption

With the advancement of communication technology and electronics, electromagnetic pollution and associated electromagnetic concerns have become a significant global environmental issue. This necessitates the urgent design and fabrication of electromagnetic microwave absorption materials to meet the rising and diverse application requirements. Ferrite/carbon composites have drawn significant interest in microwave absorption due to their intriguing merits. Specifically, these composites are capable of inducing a magnetic-dielectric synergy loss mechanism, integrating the dielectric loss characteristics of carbon materials with the substantial magnetic loss capacity of ferrites. Herein, we aim to comprehensively review the foundational and research advancements of ferrite/carbon composites from the last few years. At first, we provided an in-depth explanation of the principles behind the magnetic-dielectric synergy loss mechanism. Subsequently, we thoroughly evaluated the design and application of magnetic-dielectric synergy in ferrite/carbon composites, encompassing both spinel ferrite/carbon composites and hexagonal ferrite/carbon composites. At last, the current challenges and prospects of ferrite/carbon composites were discussed. It is hoped that the present review could offer a fundamental understanding of ferrite/carbon composites for microwave absorption and propose guidelines for the development of novel microwave absorbers.