Self-supported carbon composites derived from bamboo for electromagnetic wave absorption

In this study, bamboo-derived self-supported carbon composites decorated with Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles were fabricated through an in situ hydrothermal method followed by controlled carbonization. The as-prepared Fe 3 O 4 @BC materials preserved the intrinsic porous three-dimensional bamboo skeleton and exhibited excellent synergistic dielectric and magnetic losses. Structural characterizations confirmed the uniform distribution of Fe 3 O 4 nanoparticles within the carbon, enhancing both graphitization and interfacial polarization. The Fe 3 O 4 @BC-0.6 composite achieved a minimum reflection loss of −53.2 dB at 2.6 mm and an effective absorption bandwidth exceeding 5 GHz. Electromagnetic parameter analysis revealed that conduction loss and interfacial polarization were the dominant attenuation mechanisms, further supported by CST simulations. In addition, the composites demonstrated superior Joule heating response and thermal stability, highlighting their multifunctional potential for electromagnetic shielding, stealth technology, and thermal management applications.