Engineering three-dimensional network of SiC nanowire aerogels for efficient electromagnetic wave absorption: a review

Achieving high-performance electromagnetic wave (EMW) absorption remains fundamentally constrained by the intrinsic trade-off between impedance matching and efficient attenuation. This review presents SiC-based ceramic nanowire aerogels as a transformative platform to decouple this trade-off. These flexible ceramic aerogels leverage ultrahigh porosity (> 90%) to lower effective permittivity for improved impedance matching, while their interconnected nanowire architectures provide abundant interfaces and conductive pathways for multi-scale polarization and resistive dissipation. By synergistically combining lightweight design, high-temperature stability, and frequency agility, silicon-based ceramic nanowire aerogels offer a versatile platform for next-generation EMW absorption. We discuss recent advances in 3D network engineering of SiC nanowire aerogels, including compositional optimization to enhance attenuation, impedance gradient design to achieve broadband absorption, and dynamic frequency tuning enabled by compressible elasticity. Finally, we outline future directions, including programmable multi-scale architectures, closed-loop adaptive absorbers, multifunctional integration, scalable manufacturing, and high-temperature magnetic-dielectric multiphase systems.