Ultralight Broadband Electromagnetic Wave Absorption Enabled by Interface-Engineered Two-layered Periodic Carbon Fiber Fabrics

The long continuous carbon fiber fabric, optimized through a genetic algorithm combined with electromagnetic simulation, has emerged as the preferred choice for lightweight, high-strength, and broadband electromagnetic wave absorbing (EMA) materials. Although this approach utilizes meta-structure design to minimize impedance mismatch caused by the ultrahigh conductivity of carbon fibers, this genetic constraint restricts the achievement of efficient absorption at broader and lower frequencies. Herein, we propose a hyperbranched polyamide@graphene oxide@carbon fiber structure to expand interfacial polarization loss. The thickness of the coating layer is engineered by the branching degree of the hydrogen-bonded polymer, deliver superior gene library for subsequent population fitness optimization. Incorporating a two-layered periodic meta-structure design to broaden the optimization dimensions, the overall fitness of the population is effectively elevated, achieving effective EMA within broader and lower frequencies. The global optimized two-layered carbon fiber fabric (TCFF) exhibits efficient absorption over the C-, X-, and Ku-bands, delivering an effective absorption (RL −10 dB) bandwidth of 14.79 GHz. Moreover, this long continuous carbon fiber fabric structure offers notable mechanical advantages, combining both exceptional strength and low density, which are rarely reported together in conventional EMA metamaterials. This work proposes valuable insights for the development of ultralightweight, high-strength, and broadband electromagnetic stealth materials.