Shielding

Imagine a material where shielding is no longer heavy and reflective—but light, quiet, and intrinsically absorptive.

Aero materials enable lightweight, high-performance shielding by combining electromagnetic absorption, low reflectivity, and structural tunability in a single material platform.

The challenge

Modern systems—from electronics to aerospace—are increasingly sensitive to electromagnetic interference, stray radiation, and thermal loads. Conventional shielding approaches often rely on dense metals or layered composites, which:

  • add significant weight and volume

  • reflect rather than absorb energy, causing secondary interference

  • require complex integration into system architectures

  • offer limited tunability across frequencies and use cases

As systems become more compact and performance-critical, there is a growing need for lightweight, absorptive, and adaptable shielding solutions.

How our aero materials help

Aero materials provide a highly porous, conductive 3D network that interacts with electromagnetic and optical radiation throughout its volume. This enables:

  • Electromagnetic absorption instead of reflection
    Incoming radiation is dissipated within the structure, reducing secondary interference

  • Broadband shielding potential
    The tunable nanostructure offers the potential to target specific frequency ranges such as RF and microwave

  • Ultra-low weight
    Orders of magnitude lighter than metal-based shielding solutions

  • Reduced backscatter and stray reflections
    Beneficial for sensitive electronics and optical systems

  • Thermal management compatibility
    Open structure supports heat dissipation alongside shielding functionality

This enables next-generation shielding that is functional, lightweight, and system-integrated rather than additive.

Example applications

EMI shielding for electronics
Protection of sensitive components in compact and high-density systems

Aerospace and mobility systems
Weight-critical shielding for satellites, drones, and vehicles

Radar and RF absorption
Promising candidate material for reducing signal reflection and detection

Optical stray light suppression
Combined shielding for systems requiring both electromagnetic and optical control

Thermal and radiation management
Multi-functional materials combining shielding with heat handling

Designing systems that require lightweight, high-performance shielding?

Get in touch

Relevant Academic Research

Aeromaterial's combination of ultra-low weight, electrical conductivity, and thermal stability makes it a strong candidate for electromagnetic shielding — including in aerospace and satellite applications, where mass is a critical constraint. Research is ongoing; the project concept "AeroMulE" won the overall INNOspace Masters 2022 sponsorship award. A dedicated peer-reviewed publication is in preparation.