The design of aerogels featuring high-performance electromagnetic
wave absorption, multifunctionality, and high mechanical strength
is of great interest for applications in complex and extreme environments.
To satisfy the above requirements, novel multifunctional microwave
absorption aerogels based on a multilevel structural design and host–guest
heterointerface engineering strategy are reported herein, in which
a freeze–thaw-assembled reduced graphene oxide (rGO) aerogel
as a host is confined in an in-situ-generated guest, bridged polysilsesquioxane
(BPSi) aerogel. The resulting host–guest rGO-BPSi aerogel achieves
a minimal reflection loss of −51.2 dB with a broad effective
absorption bandwidth of 8.4 GHz at a low filling ratio (6.2 wt %),
which is attributed to the enhanced impedance matching of the gradient
composition, various dielectric losses, and multiple scattering occurring
within hierarchically porous structures. Furthermore, the excellent
structural robustness and machinability, as well as the superhydrophobicity,
thermal insulation, and antifreezing performance, guarantee the stable
and durable microwave absorption application of the aerogel and resistance
against deformation, water, humidity, and cold and hot environments.
This design integrates multiple functionalities into a host–guest
aerogel-in-aerogel system, providing valuable insights for the creation
of advanced functional aerogels for diverse applications.