Peelable Microwave Absorption Coating with Reusable and Anticorrosion Merits

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Electromagnetics
• Polymer Science

Background:

• Temporary electromagnetic protection requires peelable microwave absorption (MA) coatings with reversible adhesion.
• Existing MA coatings struggle with tunable adhesion, cohesion, and residue-free release, especially when incorporating high concentrations of absorbers.
• Challenges include controlling adhesion/cohesion strength and achieving clean peeling without complex modifications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a peelable MA coating with controllable, reversible adhesion and excellent microwave absorption capabilities.
• To address the limitations of current peelable coatings regarding adhesion control, cohesion, and residue-free peeling.
• To provide a reliable and general approach for temporary electromagnetic protection.

Main Methods:

• Development of a peelable MA coating utilizing the block characteristics of poly(styrene-(ethylene-co-butylene)-styrene) (SEBS).
• Incorporation of polyaniline-decorated carbon nanotubes as microwave absorbers.
• Evaluation of adhesion, cohesion, microwave absorption performance, and durability under corrosive conditions.

Main Results:

• Achieved a competitive effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) of 8.8 GHz.
• Demonstrated controllable yet reversible adhesion and release on various substrates and complex surfaces without residuals.
• Exhibited excellent reusability with 93% EAB retention after ten coating-peeling cycles.
• Showcased high stability against salt/acid/alkali corrosion with over 98% EAB retention after 8 hours.

Conclusions:

• The developed SEBS-based peelable MA coating offers a promising solution for temporary electromagnetic protection.
• The coating provides a balance of tunable adhesion, effective microwave absorption, and durability.
• This approach presents a general and reliable method for creating advanced peelable functional coatings.