Extraordinary High Microwave Absorption Cross Section of Ultralong Carbon Nanotubes

Abstract

The microwave-induced heating of nanoparticles has been actively studied in pursuit of more efficient microwave absorbers. Here we systematically investigated the microwave absorption cross section of conductive particles (Al), magnetic particles (Fe3O4), and carbon nanotubes with different lengths. The particles were suspended in silicone oil and irradiated with a microwave at 2.45 GHz using a single-mode microwave reactor. The experimentally measured heating rate was analytically modeled based on the modified Lambert−Beer law to obtain the microwave absorption cross section per mass. The microwave-induced heating rate was primarily dependent on optical absorbance, which is proportional to the mass concentration of suspended particles. Under the similar optical absorbance, longer nanotubes provided greater microwave absorption cross section which could be described by the short dipole antenna theory. The microwave absorption cross section of 5 mm long multiwalled carbon nanotubes was ∼4080 times greater than that of Al particles. One-dimensional ultralong carbon nanotubes provide a unique opportunity as super microwave absorbers which may be useful in chemical, biomedical, and process applications.