TiN nanoparticles-decorated SiOC ceramic fibers with electromagnetic wave absorption and optimized infrared stealth properties

Materials integrating radar absorption and infrared stealth is critical for countering multi-spectra object detection. Although significant progress has been made in electromagnetic wave absorption (EMA) and infrared stealth individually, their combined application remains insufficiently explored. In this study, SiOC@TiN ceramic fibers were fabricated via electrospinning and ammonia nitridation, with the nitridation temperature used to modulate their composition and microstructure. The structural defects in non-stoichiometric Ti/N result in an increased carrier concentration. As a result, electrical conductivity was improved, enhancing conduction loss and reducing infrared emissivity of samples. Moreover, the multiple polarization mechanisms and a porous architecture further contributed to enhanced EMA and infrared stealth performance. SiOC@TiN ceramic fibers achieve a minimum reflection loss of –54.2 dB at 2.17 mm thickness and a maximum absorption bandwidth of 4.4 GHz at 1.79 mm. SiOC@TiN ceramic fibers showed low infrared emissivity (0.69 in 3–5 μm and 0.70 in 8–14 μm bands) and good thermal insulation. This research provides a practical strategy for designing dual-functional materials that simultaneously achieve efficient electromagnetic wave absorption and infrared stealth.