Research on the Absorption Performance of Glass Fiber Fabric Composites Coated with Nickel by Magnetron Sputtering

This study focuses on the deposition of nickel thin-films onto glass fiber fabric via DC magnetron sputtering and explores their potential for broadband microwave absorption applications. A total of twelve laminate samples were prepared by integrating the coated fabrics with epoxy resin, with sputtering powers ranging from 0.5 to 2 kW and deposition times ranging from 10 to 90 min. The microstructure, surface resistance, electromagnetic parameters, and microwave absorption performance were systematically characterized using SEM, XRD, four-point probe measurements, and vector network analysis, supplemented by the Lorentz model fitting and simulation validation. The results indicate that the nickel coatings exhibit a non-uniform arc-like morphology, with preferential growth along the (111) crystallographic plane, while the (200) and (220) planes form under specific conditions. The surface resistance reaches up to 10⁸ Ω·m, suggesting the absence of a continuous conductive network. Electromagnetic parameter analysis reveals that the laminates display dielectric-loss-dominated microwave absorption, and the Lorentz fitting identifies double resonance peaks under prolonged or high-power sputtering. The addition of a dielectric matching layer further enhances the absorption performance. All samples achieve wideband absorption within the Ku-band. Notably, the samples prepared at 1 kW for 30 min and at 1 kW for 90 min both exhibit a reflectivity of ≤-10 dB across the entire 8-18 GHz frequency range. The experimental results are in good agreement with simulations. The bulk density of the laminates is approximately 1.8 g/cm³. These findings confirm that magnetron-sputtered nickel-coated continuous glass fiber fabrics hold considerable promise for wideband microwave absorption applications.