High-Performance Radar-Infrared Compatible Stealth of Ag NWs/RGO Aerogels with Vertically Aligned Layered Structures

To evade advanced multiband detection systems, high-performance compatible stealth technologies are necessary, especially radar-infrared compatible stealth materials. Up to now, some progress has been made in the radar-infrared compatible stealth materials, whereas the conjugation of broadband radar stealth and low infrared emissivity remains challenging. Interestingly, we have developed Ag NWs/reduced graphene oxide (RGO) aerogels with vertically aligned layered structures, and tailoring the quantity of Ag NWs can optimize the compatible stealth performance. The microwave absorption bandwidth can reach 7.1 GHz (10.3–17.4 GHz), and the reduced radar cross-section values are lower than −10 dBm2 in the angle range of −90 to 90°, the infrared emissivity is only 0.27, and the temperature difference between the heating stage and the material’s surface is 73–76 °C, displaying excellent thermal insulation. Thus, Ag NWs/RGO aerogels would be promising candidates for next-generation radar-infrared compatible stealth materials. Investigating the radar-infrared compatible stealth mechanism reveals that vertically aligned porous structures significantly contribute to elevating the microwave impedance matching at wide bands and preventing thermal convection. The addition of Ag NWs can largely decrease infrared emissivity. Moreover, the surface plasma resonance of Ag NWs, polarization relaxation of the Ag NWs-RGO interfaces, conductive loss from free electrons’ migration and hopping in the networks, and few dipole polarizations of RGO together enhance the microwave energy attenuation. In summary, this work provides an effective strategy to design high-performance radar-infrared compatible stealth materials with broadband microwave absorption and low infrared emissivity.