CeO2 and Zn-modified CeO2 microstructures have been synthesized by a facile hydrothermal method and their microwave absorption properties have been investigated in detail. Complex permittivity and permeability of CeO2 and CeZn paraffin composites have been measured over the range of 2-18 GHz. Excellent microwave absorption properties have been obtained for CeO2 and CeZn microstructures compared with ZnO nanoparticles. Especially, maximum RL increases with increasing the concentration of CeZn microspheres in the composites and minimal RL value is -35 dB with 70 wt.% CeZn microspheres at 2.0 mm thickness. This phenomenon is attributed to both unique structure properties and geometric effect of CeO2 and CeZn microstructures. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.