Evolutionary algorithm-based integrated design of material-structural microwave absorption using material extrusion

The development of electromagnetic wave absorbing materials and structures holds significant importance in fields such as aerospace and electronic communications. Traditional absorbing coatings have poor mechanical load-bearing capacity and struggle to meet the requirements of lightweight applications. On the other hand, the research on lossy dielectric absorbers is limited by process constraints, making it difficult to fabricate complex configurations, thereby greatly restricting their broadband absorption performance. In this study, a functional absorbing composite filament was developed using material extrusion technique. A magnetic lossy four-layer gradient honeycomb metastructure was designed, which enables effective absorption in the frequency range of 6.09–37.18 GHz within a thickness of 16 mm. The effective absorption bandwidth covers 81.82 % in the frequency range of 2–40 GHz. This broadband absorbing design achieves the integration of material functionality and structural design by additive manufacturing, enabling effective absorption across a broad frequency range.