The Microwave Absorption Properties of Fe16N2 Nanoparticles

Using Fe nanoparticles as raw material, we manufactured Fe
₁₆
N
₂
nanoparticles by hydrogen reduction and ammonia nitriding process. X-ray diffractometer (XRD) and Mössbauer spectroscopy analyses show that the prepared nanoparticles are composed of Fe
₁₆
N
₂
and
$\alpha $
-Fe. The proportion of the Fe
₁₆
N
₂
phase could reach 75%, and the saturation magnetization of the nanoparticles reaches 197 emu/g. The Fe
₁₆
N
₂
nanoparticles are mixed with paraffin, and the microwave absorption properties of the composites are measured. The reflection loss (RL) of the Fe
₁₆
N
₂
/paraffin composite can reach −18.3 dB at 4.8 GHz, with a thickness of 2.2 mm. The ratios of the magnetic loss and dielectric loss are 40% and 59%, respectively. Only 1% (100%–40%–59%) of the incident microwave energy is reflected, which shows Fe
₁₆
N
₂
/paraffin composite is a potential candidate for microwave absorbing materials.