Fabrication of nitrogen-doped reduced graphene oxide/tricobalt tetraoxide composite aerogels with high efficiency, broadband microwave absorption, and good compression recovery performance

•NRGO/Co3O4 composite aerogels were prepared by a simple three-step method.•The obtained NRGO/Co3O4 composite aerogels showed a 3D porous network structure.•Microwave absorption capacity was regulated by changing addition amounts of Co3O4.•Maximum absorption bandwidth reached up to 6.32 GHz, covering the entire Ku-band.•Minimum reflection loss of -62.78 dB was achieved at a thin thickness of 2.13 mm.