Defects-Rich Heterostructures Trigger Strong Polarization Coupling in Sulfides/Carbon Composites with Robust Electromagnetic Wave Absorption

• Published in: Nano-micro letters Vol. 17; no. 1; pp. 24 - 20
• Main Authors: Liu, Jiaolong, Zhang, Siyu, Qu, Dan, Zhou, Xuejiao, Yin, Moxuan, Wang, Chenxuan, Zhang, Xuelin, Li, Sichen, Zhang, Peijun, Zhou, Yuqi, Tao, Kai, Li, Mengyang, Wei, Bing, Wu, Hongjing
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Singapore Springer Nature Singapore 01.12.2025; Springer Nature B.V; SpringerOpen
• Subjects: Absorption; Carbon; Carrageenan; Cations; Coupling; Crystal defects; Defects-rich heterointerfaces; Sulfides; Polarization coupling; Electromagnetic wave absorption; Dipole moments; Displays; Electromagnetic radiation; Electronic structure; Energy; Engineering; Free energy; Heat of formation; Heterostructures; Lattice vacancies; Nanomaterials; Nanoscale Science and Technology; Nanotechnology; Nanotechnology and Microengineering; Particulate composites; Polarization; Strategy; Sulfides; Sulfur; Germany; Defects-rich heterointerfaces; Sulfides; Polarization coupling; Electromagnetic wave absorption
• ISSN: 2311-6706; 2150-5551; 2150-5551
• DOI: 10.1007/s40820-024-01515-0

Defects-rich heterointerfaces integrated with adjustable crystalline phases and atom vacancies, as well as veiled dielectric-responsive character, are instrumental in electromagnetic dissipation. Conventional methods, however, constrain their delicate constructions. Herein, an innovative alternative is proposed: carrageenan-assistant cations-regulated (CACR) strategy, which induces a series of sulfides nanoparticles rooted in situ on the surface of carbon matrix. This unique configuration originates from strategic vacancy formation energy of sulfides and strong sulfides-carbon support interaction, benefiting the delicate construction of defects-rich heterostructures in M x S y /carbon composites (M-CAs). Impressively, these generated sulfur vacancies are firstly found to strengthen electron accumulation/consumption ability at heterointerfaces and, simultaneously, induct local asymmetry of electronic structure to evoke large dipole moment, ultimately leading to polarization coupling, i.e., defect-type interfacial polarization. Such “Janus effect” (Janus effect means versatility, as in the Greek two-headed Janus) of interfacial sulfur vacancies is intuitively confirmed by both theoretical and experimental investigations for the first time. Consequently, the sulfur vacancies-rich heterostructured Co/Ni-CAs displays broad absorption bandwidth of 6.76 GHz at only 1.8 mm, compared to sulfur vacancies-free CAs without any dielectric response. Harnessing defects-rich heterostructures, this one-pot CACR strategy may steer the design and development of advanced nanomaterials, boosting functionality across diverse application domains beyond electromagnetic response. Highlights A series of sulfides/carbon composites with sulfur vacancies-rich sulfides heterointerfaces are well-designed and developed via a simple one-pot carrageenan-assistant cations-regulated strategy. “Janus effect” of interfacial sulfur vacancies, which triggers strong defect-type interfacial polarization, are firstly intuitively confirmed by both theoretical and experimental investigations. Optimized Co/Ni-carbon composites (CAs) imbued with sulfur vacancies-rich heterointerfaces displays broad absorption bandwidth of 6.76 GHz at only 1.8 mm, compared to sulfur vacancies-free CAs without any dielectric response.