Integrated multifunctional graphene aerogel combining wide temperature range sensing with high-efficiency electromagnetic shielding on a single platform

Abstract The development of lightweight, multifunctional materials that integrate intelligent sensing with active protection is critically important for next-generation spacesuits and protective equipment operating in extreme environments. However, the integration of highly stable sensing performance with efficient electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding over a broad temperature range remains a formidable challenge. Herein, through rational structural and compositional design, we fabricated a multifunctional composite aerogel composed of reduced graphene oxide, polyimide fibers, ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid, and cobalt nitrate hexahydrate, enabling the seamless integration of wide temperature sensing and high-performance EMI shielding within a single material platform. The resulting aerogel exhibits stable and highly repeatable sensing behavior across a temperature range from −75 to 150 °C, as well as rapid response and recovery times (29 and 35 ms, respectively) under a 1 kg load and negligible performance degradation throughout 5000 loading–unloading cycles. Additionally, the composite shows excellent EMI shielding effectiveness, up to 48 dB in the 8–12 GHz. Thus, this work provides a viable strategy for the design of multifunctional materials capable of reliable operation under harsh conditions and offers new insights into the integrated development of intelligent sensing and protective systems for aerospace and extreme-environment applications.