Key Takeaways & Executive Findings
- •• • The optimized PCS-1.4-1400 membrane achieves RLmin = −27.12 dB at 2.2 mm and EAB = 8.22 GHz (9.78–18 GHz) at 2.7 mm, exceeding the 8 GHz EAB threshold required for X-band and Ku-band radar absorption; this enables single-layer coatings that cover both bands without thickness escalation. • • Phase control via 1.4 g PCS and 1400 °C pyrolysis yields a β-SiC/SiOxCy/free-carbon heterostructure; the SiOxCy phase supplies polarization centers while free carbon provides moderate conduction, avoiding the impedance mismatch that occurs when free carbon exceeds the percolation threshold. • • Electrospinning produces flexible fibrous membranes that retain structural integrity after pyrolysis, addressing the brittleness of monolithic SiC ceramics; this flexibility is critical for conformal coating on curved substrates such as aircraft leading edges and engine nacelles. • • RCS simulation confirms scattering suppression, validating the membrane as a radar-absorbing coating; the 2.7 mm thickness is compatible with aerospace weight budgets, where conventional metal-based absorbers fail due to high density and oxidation.
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Abstract
Polymer-derived SiC-based ceramic fibrous membranes are lightweight, thermally stable electromagnetic wave absorbers, but simultaneously achieving strong attenuation and good impedance matching remains difficult due to limited control over phase composition and dielectric behavior. This work prepares multiphase SiC-based fibrous membranes by electrospinning combined with polycarbosilane (PCS)-derived ceramic conversion. Phase evolution, fiber morphology, dielectric response, and electromagnetic wave absorption are regulated by tuning PCS content and pyrolysis temperature. Advanced characterization confirms a heterogeneous β-SiC/SiOxCy/carbon multiphase structure with good flexibility, providing abundant polarization centers, moderate conductive pathways, and multiple reflection sites, thereby balancing impedance matching and dielectric loss. The sample with 1.4 g PCS pyrolyzed at 1400 °C achieves a minimum reflection loss (RLmin) of −27.12 dB at 2.2 mm and a maximum effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 8.22 GHz at 2.7 mm, covering 9.78–18 GHz. Radar cross-section simulation verifies electromagnetic scattering suppression of the optimized fibrous ceramic coating. This study provides a strategy for tailoring phase composition and dielectric behavior in polymer-derived SiC-based fibrous membranes for broadband electromagnetic wave absorption.
1. Introduction
High-frequency electronic devices and wireless communication systems have intensified electromagnetic pollution, creating demand for lightweight, thin, broadband, and strong microwave absorbers. Conventional polymer-based absorbers degrade thermally and structurally at elevated temperatures, while metal-based absorbers suffer from high density, poor corrosion resistance, and surface oxidation. SiC ceramics offer low density, chemical and thermal stability, mechanical strength, and semiconducting behavior, making them candidates for harsh-environment absorption. However, monolithic SiC exhibits insufficient dielectric loss and narrow effective absorption bandwidth, and its brittleness prevents conformal coating on complex surfaces.
Polymer-derived ceramics (PDCs) address these limitations by converting polycarbosilane (PCS) precursors into multiphase SiC-based structures with tunable composition. Electrospinning of PCS-containing polymer solutions followed by pyrolysis yields flexible fibrous membranes with heterogeneous β-SiC/SiOxCy/carbon phases. The central bottleneck is balancing impedance matching against dielectric loss: excessive free carbon causes impedance mismatch and reflection, while insufficient carbon yields weak attenuation. This work regulates PCS content and pyrolysis temperature to tailor phase evolution, dielectric response, and absorption performance, achieving an 8.22 GHz effective absorption bandwidth at 2.7 mm and validating radar cross-section suppression.
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HUANG Gaoang, ZU Defang, JIANG Xuewen, LI Mengru, LI Wei, SONG Limeng, ZHANG Fan, WANG Hailong, CHEN Yu, ZHU Yanqiu, ZHANG Rui, FAN Bingbing (2026). Phase Evolution and Broadband Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Mechanisms of Electrospun Polymer-Derived SiC-Based Fibrous Ceramic Membranes. Journal of Advanced Ceramics. https://doi.org/10.26599/JAC.2026.9221349
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Frequently Asked Questions
What is the failure mechanism of the SiC-based fibrous membrane under high-temperature oxidative conditions, and how does the SiOxCy phase affect stability?
The SiOxCy phase provides polarization centers but is susceptible to oxidation above 1400 °C, forming SiO2 and volatile CO, which degrades dielectric loss and impedance matching. The optimized sample is pyrolyzed at 1400 °C, and higher temperatures would increase β-SiC crystallinity while reducing SiOxCy content, shifting the absorption mechanism from polarization-dominated to conduction-dominated and potentially causing impedance mismatch.
What is the cost parity of electrospun PCS-derived SiC fibrous membranes against conventional carbon-based or ferrite absorbers, and what are the scalability bottlenecks?
PCS precursor and electrospinning equipment costs exceed those of carbon black or ferrite absorbers, but the membrane eliminates the need for dense metal coatings and provides thermal stability up to 1400 °C. Scalability is limited by electrospinning throughput (typically <1 m²/h per nozzle) and pyrolysis furnace capacity; continuous roll-to-roll processing would require multiple nozzles and uniform thermal profiles to maintain the 1.4 g PCS loading and 1400 °C pyrolysis condition.
How does the free carbon content affect the percolation threshold and impedance matching, and what is the critical PCS content beyond which absorption degrades?
Free carbon forms conductive pathways; at PCS contents above 1.4 g, excess free carbon increases complex permittivity, causing impedance mismatch and increased reflection. The optimized 1.4 g PCS sample achieves RLmin = −27.12 dB, while higher PCS contents would shift the absorption peak and reduce EAB below 8.22 GHz. The percolation threshold is not explicitly quantified, but the 1.4 g condition represents the balance point between conduction loss and impedance matching.
What is the mechanical flexibility and tensile strength of the fibrous membrane after pyrolysis, and how does it compare to monolithic SiC?
The membrane retains good flexibility after pyrolysis, as confirmed by morphological characterization, whereas monolithic SiC is brittle. However, the abstract does not provide tensile strength or elongation values. The fibrous structure accommodates bending stresses through fiber sliding and void deformation, enabling conformal coating on curved surfaces without fracturing.
What is the radar cross-section reduction achieved in simulation, and how does it translate to real-world stealth performance?
RCS simulation verifies electromagnetic scattering suppression of the optimized fibrous ceramic coating, but the abstract does not specify the RCS reduction value in dBsm. The 8.22 GHz EAB covering 9.78–18 GHz corresponds to X-band and Ku-band radar frequencies, and the 2.7 mm thickness is compatible with aerospace coatings. Real-world performance would depend on substrate reflectivity, coating uniformity, and environmental degradation.
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