The exceptional benefits of carbon aerogels, including
their low
density and tunable electrical characteristics, infuse new life into
the realm of creating ultralight electromagnetic wave absorbers. The
clever conceptualization and straightforward production of carbon-based
aerogels, which marry aligned microporous architecture with nanoscale
heterointerfaces and atomic-scale defects, are vital for effective
multiscale microwave response. We present an uncomplicated synthesis
method for crafting aligned porous Ni@C nanobelts anchored on N, S-doped
carbon aerogels (Ni@C/NSCAs), featuring multiscale structural intricaciesachieved
through the pyrolysis of freeze-cast Ni-MOF nanobelts and chitosan
aerogel composites. The well-ordered porous configuration, combined
with multiple heterointerfaces adopting a “nanoparticles-nanobelts-nanosheets”
contact schema, along with a wealth of defects, adeptly modulates
conductive, polarization, and magnetic losses to realize an equilibrium
in impedance matching. This magnetically doped carbon aerogel showcases
an impressive effective absorption bandwidth of 8.96 GHz and a minimum
reflection loss of −68.82 dB, while maintaining an exceptionally
low filler content of 1.75 wt %. Additionally, the applied coating
exhibits an astonishing radar cross-section reduction of 51.7 dB m2, signifying its superior radar wave scattering capabilities.
These results offer key insights into the attainment of broad-spectrum
microwave absorption features by enhancing the multiscale structure
of current aerogels.