Gd2O3-regulated impedance matching and absorption-profile evolution in flexible nickel-coated fabric/polyurea composite membranes

Cai J, Bai X, Liu J, Fang R, Xu C, Schubert DW, Mu C, Wang X, Qu M (2026)

Publication Type: Journal article

Publication year: 2026

Journal

Journal of Materials Science Springer Verlag (Germany)

DOI: 10.1007/s10853-026-13567-1

Abstract

Flexible conductive fabric-based membranes are attractive for lightweight electromagnetic wave absorption, yet achieving controllable impedance matching in such systems remains challenging. In this work, nickel-coated fabric (NiF) was employed as a conductive scaffold and coated on both sides with polyurea (PU), while gadolinium oxide (Gd2O3) was introduced into the PU matrix to regulate electromagnetic response. Structural characterization confirmed incorporation of Gd2O3 and formation of continuous PU layers with intact interfaces. The membranes maintained tensile strengths above 70 MPa, indicating acceptable mechanical integrity for flexible electromagnetic applications. Electromagnetic analysis revealed that Gd2O3 mainly influenced dielectric behavior rather than magnetic response, resulting in composition-dependent evolution of the impedance matching window. Although the attenuation constant did not increase monotonically, higher Gd2O3 loading produced a more discernible and continuous absorption valley together with improved thickness robustness in reflection loss maps. Gd75-PU@NiF further showed a relatively improved IM response and broader negative-RL region. These results indicate that Gd2O3 acts as a dielectric-regulating component that reshapes the frequency–thickness-dependent absorption profile of flexible NiF/PU composite membranes, offering a feasible formulation–structure strategy for designing tunable microwave-absorbing fabrics.

Authors with CRIS profile

Dirk Schubert Lehrstuhl für Werkstoffwissenschaften (Polymerwerkstoffe) (LSP)

Involved external institutions

Guangdong Polytechnic Normal University CN China (CN) Beijing Oriental Yuhong Waterproof Technology Co., Ltd. / 东方雨虹 CN China (CN) Zhengzhou University of Light Industry / 郑州轻工业学院 CN China (CN)

How to cite

APA:

Cai, J., Bai, X., Liu, J., Fang, R., Xu, C., Schubert, D.W.,... Qu, M. (2026). Gd2O3-regulated impedance matching and absorption-profile evolution in flexible nickel-coated fabric/polyurea composite membranes. Journal of Materials Science. https://doi.org/10.1007/s10853-026-13567-1

MLA:

Cai, Jinfeng, et al. "Gd2O3-regulated impedance matching and absorption-profile evolution in flexible nickel-coated fabric/polyurea composite membranes." Journal of Materials Science (2026).

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