Microwave-Infrared Compatible Camouflage by MXene-Based Composite Aerogels via Synergistic Electromagnetic, Emissivity, and Thermal Regulation
Jialong Chen, Xueqing Wang, Keen Yang, Chengyun Wang, Songpei Nan, Wei Yu, Shujiang Ding, Dawei Ding
Abstract
The advancement of multispectral surveillance technologies has rendered conventional single-band camouflage materials ineffective, driving an urgent demand for multispectral-compatible stealth materials. Herein, we report a multidimensional MXene-based composite aerogel engineered via cost-effective lyophilization for radar-infrared compatible camouflage. As building blocks, few-layer Ti 3 C 2 T x MXene nanosheets functionalized with NiB alloy nanoparticles and thermoresponsive VO 2 phase-change materials are cross-linked by poly(vinyl alcohol) to construct the MXene/NiB/VO 2 composite aerogel through one-step cryo-assembly. The composite demonstrates a remarkable multispectral stealth performance. The thermal radiation temperature of a heated target is reduced from 180 to 55 °C. In addition, a minimum reflection loss (RL min ) of −54.7 dB with an effective absorption bandwidth of 7.1 GHz (8.8–15.9 GHz) at an ultralow low density of 19 mg·cm –3 has been achieved. These breakthroughs stem from synergistic mechanisms: low infrared emissivity, suppressed thermal conduction, dynamic temperature regulation via the VO 2 phase transition, and multimodal electromagnetic dissipation. This work establishes a material design paradigm to reconcile infrared-microwave spectral incompatibilities through multidimensional heterostructure engineering, providing a roadmap for next-generation adaptive multispectral stealth technologies.