Novel design concept and integrated preparation for an ultralight, ultrathin, and ultrabroadband planar microwave absorbing fabric

Driven by the miniaturization of wireless communication, radar systems, and electronic devices, there is a growing demand for ultralightweight, ultrathin, and ultrabroadband microwave absorbing fabrics. Traditional absorbers fall short of modern requirements, necessitating novel designs. In this study, we propose a design concept for a Jaumannlike absorbing fabric (MFAM) based on glass-coated magnetic amorphous fibers (SFs), which offers tunable absorption intensity and an exceptionally wide absorbing bandwidth potential that surpasses the Rozanov thickness limit for absorbing fabric. The proposed MFAM exhibits absorption exceeding 90% across an ultrawide bandwidth of 7–18 GHz. By optimizing SFs’ length, content, and hierarchical self-similar structures, the actual thickness of MFAM-OD5 is reduced to just 95.4% of the theoretical limit thickness for its performance level. Moreover, the SFs absorbing layer is fabricated using a wet-forming technique and combined with lightweight material, resulting in an MFAM with a per square meter weight below 200 g/m². This fabric exhibits excellent flexibility, conforming readily to curved surfaces and enhancing practical utility. Coupled with robust parameters, stable performance, light weight, and facile processability, the MFAM offers significant overall advantages. The novel design concept and integrated preparation proposed provide an effective pathway toward developing ultrabroadband, low-profile, flexible, and lightweight microwave absorbers.