MoS2-modulated TiO2/C hydrangea structures for electromagnetic wave absorption via dielectric loss dominances

For non-magnetic MOF derivatives, the core challenge in current research is how to overcome impedance mismatch and enhance microwave absorption performance through precise control of the material’s micro-morphology and dielectric properties without introducing magnetic components. The incorporation of MoS 2 , a two-dimensional material with semiconductor properties and a layered structure, can significantly enhance the absorptive performance of such materials. In this work, a novel Ti-MOF derivative absorber material (TiO 2 /C@MoS 2 ) with hydrangea-like morphology is proposed by in situ growing MoS 2 with varying loadings on Ti-MOFs to overcome the aforementioned challenges. Specifically, the TiO 2 /C@MoS 2 composite material TM72 achieves a minimum reflection loss (RL min ) of −62.1 dB at a thickness of 2.05 mm, a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB max ) of 5.88 GHz (corresponding to a thickness of 2.18 mm), and a radar cross-section (RCS) reduction of 16.6 dB m 2 . For TM71, the RL min is −52.82 dB at a matching thickness of 2.47 mm, with an EAB max of 6.93 GHz corresponding to a matching thickness of 2.28 mm, and it also achieves a radar cross-section (RCS) reduction of 17.95 dB m 2 . This enables TiO 2 /C@MoS 2 to fulfill the critical demands of electromagnetic wave absorbing materials (EMWAMs): “strong, broad, thin, and lightweight.” Furthermore, RCS simulations validate the actual applicability of this composite material. Consequently, this effort provides an innovative strategy for constructing next-generation EMWAMs featuring ultrathin structures, outstanding absorption performance, and broadband absorption capabilities. This study demonstrates that in-situ growth of MoS 2 nanosheets on non-magnetic Ti-MOF-derived TiO 2 /C constructs a novel hydrangea-like core–shell composite whose dielectric constant is precisely tuned by the semiconducting MoS 2 shell to overcome impedance mismatch, achieving a minimum reflection loss of −62.1 dB at 2.05 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth of 5.88 GHz without magnetic component. The synergistic mechanism—extended electromagnetic wave propagation paths within the hydrangea architecture, enhanced interfacial/dipole polarization at the TiO 2 /C–MoS 2 heterojunctions, and optimized dielectric loss balance—provides a viable strategy for designing next-generation lightweight, thin, and broadband electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. Download: Download high-res image (235KB) Download: Download full-size image