Realizing a potential lightweight electromagnetic interference
(EMI) shield with high absorption and low secondary reflection is
still challenging. Herein, a novel ultralight aerogel was prepared
by simple hydrothermal carbonization of V2O5 nanowires. The highly porous and three-dimensional (3D) conductive
nanowire networks inside the aerogel simultaneously support EM wave
dissipation through multiple internal reflections and reduce shield
density to 0.026 g/cc. The designer aerogels exhibit high shielding
efficiency (SE) in X, Ku, and K bands with a maximum EMI SE of 43.24
dB at 26.5 GHz. Exceptional specific shielding efficiency of 5147.6
dB cm2/g was achieved in the K band with a high green index
of 1.58. The lightweight carbonized V2O5 aerogels
are promising shielding structures suitable for aircraft and portable
device applications. The hydrothermal synthesis procedure with hazard-free
materials described here proves that efficient shielding aerogels
can be successfully constructed through facile synthesis protocols.