Recent Advances in Graphene-Based Aerogels for Electromagnetic Wave Absorption: A Comprehensive Review

Abstract With the rapid development of high-frequency communications, smart electronic devices and aerospace, the problem of electromagnetic interference has become increasingly severe, creating an urgent need for electromagnetic waves (EMWs) absorbing materials that combine high absorption efficiency, broadband response, light weight, and environmental stability. Graphene-based aerogels (GAs) show great promise for EMWs absorption due to their three-dimensional (3D) porous structure, tunable conductivity and surface chemistry, and lightweight high-strength properties. However, existing reviews on EMWs absorbing materials based on GAs have not systematically summarized the synergistic mechanisms between GAs and other materials, nor have they provided an in-depth discussion of optimization strategies for the coordinated regulation of composition and structure. This review comprehensively summarizes the latest research advances in GAs-based EMWs absorbing, explores the fundamental principles of EMWs absorption, and highlights the properties, structural characteristics, and preparation methods of graphene and GAs. In addition, the study examined the effects of defect engineering, multicomponent composites, and structural design (core–shell and heterostructures) on the regulation of EMWs absorption properties. These strategies synergistically yield broad bandwidth and strong attenuation. The review also analyzes the application of GAs in EMWs absorption under special conditions, and discusses the potential use of artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning in EMWs absorbing materials. Finally, this review discusses the current challenges and future directions for GA-based EMWs absorbing materials, with the aim of establishing relationships between synthesis, structure, and function, filling gaps in existing reviews, and providing guidance for the future development of EMWs absorbing materials.