Development of 3D Metamaterials Fabricated by 3D Printing Processes for Radar Absorption

초록

The potential of three-dimensional (3D) metamaterials to revolutionize stealth technology and reduce automotive false imaging has sparked significant interest. Honeycomb structures coated with radar-absorbing materials (RAM) are examples of 3D metamaterials that are suitable for radar-absorbing applications. In this work, we have designed four innovative 3D honeycomb structures with various inner wall shapes based on 3D metamaterials using SolidWorks software. A finite element analysis was conducted on each structure using COMSOL software to optimize the geometry of each honeycomb structure. 3D printing technology was used to print the optimized honeycomb structures. These structures, with their unique features and outstanding mechanical properties (e.g., they can withstand a pressure load of 80 kN and up to 30 kN extension load), serve as a testament to the potential of 3D metamaterials in radar absorption technology, sparking excitement for the future of this field. The 3D-printed honeycomb structures were spray-coated with multi-walled carbon nanotubes (MWCNT)/carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC)/ Fe3O4 30 wt% Fe3O4, and then the coating thickness was optimized by electromagnetic characterization. The free-space measurements were conducted on the coated honeycomb structures to measure the scattering parameters in the X-band frequency range from 8.2 GHz to 12.4 GHz. Then, the Refection Loss and the Absorbance were calculated. The four honeycomb metamaterials absorbed over 95% of radar waves in the X-band frequencies. The experimental Refection Loss values obtained for all the structures match the simulation values and show an enhancement of over 40%. The results prove that the metamaterial-based honeycomb structures are promising candidates for radar absorption technologies. © 2025 IEEE.