Recent advances in graphene aerogels as absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference shielding materials

The design of lightweight and efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding materials is of great importance in both civil and military fields. Recently, graphene aerogels with three-dimensional structure have been proven to be efficient EMI shielding materials with superior advantages of low density, strong absorption of microwaves, and multi-band applicability. More importantly, most graphene aerogels and their composites exhibit the absorption-dominated shielding performance, which is exactly the future developing trend for EMI shielding materials. In this review, we summarized the recent progresses of graphene aerogel-based EMI shielding materials. Firstly, the key concepts, mechanisms of EMI shielding, and the advantages of graphene aerogels as EMI shielding materials are discusses in detail. Then, the fabrication strategies of graphene aerogels are summarized, and their advantages and disadvantages are both narrated. Thirdly, various kinds of graphene aerogels and their composites are reviewed, with their overall structure-function relationship and absorption-dominated shielding mechanism illustrated. Fourthly, smart and multi-functional graphene aerogels as EMI shielding materials are also discussed. Finally, the challenges and technical problems are proposed, and development trends are prospected.