Superelastic polyimide nanofiber/graphene hybrid aerogels for tunable broadband electromagnetic wave absorption

• PINF/rGO aerogel tunes EM absorption to −60 dB by varying compression. • 3D porous structure boosts strength and EM loss with higher rGO content. • PINF/rGO-3 hits −60 dB RL and 4 GHz bandwidth at 2 mm thickness. • RCS drops 25.9 dB·m 2 , showing stealth and microwave absorption promise. Aerogel, with its three-dimensional lightweight and porous structure, is a promising candidate for wave absorption applications. Despite this promise, a formidable challenge remains in developing electromagnetic wave absorption materials that can dynamically adapt to real-time environmental fluctuations. In this research, we have developed an ultra-elastic polyimide nanofiber (PINF) aerogel reinforced with reduced graphene oxide (rGO), creating a robust, continuous, and isotropic fiber network. Our findings reveal that by adjusting the compression shape parameters, the composite material exhibits tunable impedance matching properties, enabling selective wave absorption. Remarkably, the wave absorption intensity of this composite aerogel can be dynamically modulated to exceed −59.7 dB under various compression states, demonstrating dynamically tunable microwave absorption properties. This breakthrough showcases the material’s adjustable intelligent functionality and its potential to serve as a switchable electromagnetic wave absorption solution, offering a novel approach to the development of smart materials with responsive electromagnetic properties.