Synthesis of Ni/ITO nanocomposite with excellent electromagnetic absorption via in situ reducing reaction

•First, we developed an in situ powder-separating reductive process to chemically synthesize Ni/ITO nanocomposites.•Second, the uniform dispersion of Ni nanoparticles in as-fabricated Ni/ITO nanocomposite is beneficial to acquiring proper electromagnetic impedance match and facilitating extra interfacial polarization mechanism thereby leading to increased microwave absorption.•As a result, as-fabricated Ni/ITO nanocomposite exhibits both an unexpected magnetic resonance behavior and an enhanced dielectric loss, which could find promising applications in the field of microwave absorption.

Ni/ITO nanocomposite was prepared via a facile in situ reducing route. ITO nanoparticles not only work as separating mediums to prevent Ni nanoparticles from agglomeration but also provide the nanocomposite with extra interfacial polarization mechanism for electromagnetic wave absorbing. As a result, as-fabricated Ni/ITO nanocomposite exhibits both an unexpected magnetic resonance behavior and an enhanced dielectric loss, which could find promising applications in the field of microwave absorption.