Optimization of carbon nanotube volume percentage for enhancement of high frequency magnetic properties of SrFe8MgCoTi2O19/MWCNTs

• We investigate the high frequency properties of Sr-hexaferrite/MWCNTs composite.
• Saturation magnetization of nanocomposites is decreased with presence of MWCNTs.
• The ferrite/CNTs nanocomposite sample covers whole X-band frequencies (8–12 GHz).
• The ferrite/CNTs nanocomposite can be used as a potential magnetic loss material.
• Nanocomposite contain 5 vol% of CNTs have shown greater than 99% of reflection loss.

A novel magnetic nanocomposite of multiwalled carbon nanotubes decorated with SrFe8MgCoTi2O19 nanoparticles have been prepared by a chemical co-precipitation method. The structural, magnetic and electromagnetic properties of samples were studied as a function of volume percentage of MWCNTs by X-ray diffraction, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, vibrating sample magnetometer and vector network analysis. The XRD and FTIR results showed that the nanocomposites were synthesized successfully. Field emission scanning electron microscopy micrographs demonstrated that homogeneous and high level of dispersion of MWCNTs and Sr-hexaferrite nanoparticles in nanocomposite samples were obtained. The saturation magnetization of the nanocomposite samples was found to decrease by an increase in volume percentage of MWCNTs up to 5 vol%. The vector network analysis results show that the highest value of reflection loss of nanocomposite was −42.43 dB at 11.13 GHz with an absorption bandwidth of more than of 4 GHz. The results indicate that, these novel types of nanocomposites with appropriate amount of MWCNTs hold great promise for microwave device applications.