Flexible electromagnetic interference shields: Materials, structure and multifunctionalization

Electromagnetic interference has surged due to the widespread use of electronic communication technologies in integrated electrical systems. Traditionally, inflexible electromagnetic shielding materials have numerous drawbacks, such as being very brittle, uncomfortable to wear, and inappropriate for use in flexible applications. This review explores the advances in flexible (particularly stretchable and compressible) electromagnetic functional materials-based elastomers and a selection of the remarkable supporting deformable polymer matrixes. Additionally, it provides a comprehensive overview of the appropriate delicate structure and the associated manufacturing progress. Furthermore, it comprehensively outlines inventive uses of flexible shields in the fields of energy, sensing, mechanics, and communication, which extend far beyond electromagnetic protection, as well as their present state of development and prospects. Among them, we provide the first well-rounded overview of reconfigurable shielding devices and propose reconfigurability factors (r) and sensitivity (S) to quantify reconfigurable performance as well. This study diverges from prior studies that mostly concentrated on fulfilling conventional specifications (e.g., thin, lightweight, broad, and strong), and may be characterized as the future age of intelligent, adaptable, integrated shields.