Ultralight and compressible ZrCnws aerogels with excellent electromagnetic interference shielding property

High-temperature-resistant, high-strength, and lightweight multifunctional aerogels are urgently required for critical thermal management in harsh conditions, but balancing many factors is highly difficult. Zirconium carbide nanowires (ZrCnws) have received increasing attention due to their exceptional high-temperature stability. In this work, ZrCnws aerogels were prepared by freeze-drying and heat treatment methods without metal catalysts. The single ZrCnw shows a cylindrical structure with a smooth surface. The growth of ZrCnws relied on S-L-S mechanism. ZrCnws aerogels have a density of approximately 24.38 mg/cm³ and low thermal conductivity of 33.8 mW/(m•K) at room temperature. ZrCnws aerogels have 74.88% height retention after 100 cycles of compression at 30% strain and exhibit a specific EMI SE of 1458.61 dB•cm³•g⁻¹ in the X band. This work provides a feasible method for ZrCnws aerogels and verifies that the prepared ZrCnws aerogels have potential applications in the fields of thermal insulation and electromagnetic shielding.