Despite significant advancements in microwave absorption materials (MAMs) for electromagnetic interference mitigation, the integration of robust microwave absorption (MA) and corrosion resistance into a unified system remains a critical challenge, particularly for long-term durability in harsh environments. Conventional approaches relying on multiphase composites often suffer from compromised functionality due to intrinsic property conflicts between absorption and anti-corrosion components. Here, we propose an integrated design strategy of active-passive corrosion inhibition and MA to design composite volatile corrosion inhibition coatings with synergistic dielectric attenuation and multiple corrosion protection effects. Dielectric property modulation strategy-based, we achieved precise modulation of permittivity gradients and interfacial polarization for RGO/FCIP@SiO₂, resulting in optimal impedance matching and record-breaking MA performance: a minimal reflection loss (RL_min) of −68 dB at 12.82 GHz with a 7 GHz effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) at 2.0 mm thickness. Moreover, the two-dimensional lamellar reduced graphene oxide (RGO) has a “maze effect” and superhydrophobic architecture (162.3° contact angle) to passively defend against corrosive media. Concurrently, the multicomponent volatile corrosion inhibitor (BGC) system endows the composite with exceptional active corrosion inhibition. Through the dynamic anti-corrosion process involving vapor-phase release, surface adsorption, and protective film formation of corrosion inhibitor molecules, this system significantly enhances corrosion protection. Remarkably, it maintains 99.36% corrosion inhibition efficiency after 360-hour salt spray exposure and 25 friction cycles, without MA performance degradation.

In order to meet the requirements of the marine environment for microwave absorption (MA) materials, we put forward the strategy of constructing multi-functional composite materials, which integrate microwave absorption, anti-corrosion, and antibacterial properties. Herein, graphene oxide (GO) was used as a template to induce the growth of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8), simultaneously as a two-dimensional (2D) nanocontainers to load corrosion inhibitors to achieve pH-responsive and self-healing properties. Finally, quaternary ammonium salt (dimethyl octadecyl(3-trimethoxylsilyl propyl) ammonium chloride (DMAOP)) and sodium ascorbate (VCNa) were introduced to achieve synergistic antibacterial activity and the reduction of GO. The 2D strip-like structure of ZIF-8 was due to the confined growth induced by the electrostatic attraction between ZIF-8 and GO sheets. The as-obtained reduced GO (RGO)/ZIF-8/DMAOP₅ exhibited excellent microwave absorption (MA) properties, with a minimum reflection loss (RL) value of −47.08 dB at 12.73 GHz when the thickness was 2.8 mm. Moreover, the effective absorption bandwidth reached 6.84 GHz. After soaking in 3.5% NaCl solution for 35 days, the RGO/ZIF-8/DMAOP₅-0.7% coating still achieved an impedance value of 4.585 × 10⁷ Ω·cm² and a protective efficiency of 99.994%, providing superior anti-corrosion properties. In addition, fantastic antibacterial activity was obtained, with the antibacterial rates of RGO/ZIF-8/DMAOP₁₀ reaching 99.39% and 100% against Escherichia coli and Staphylococcus aureus. This work could open new avenues towards the development of a new generation of multifunctional MA materials.