Electronic devices operating in extreme cold environments, such as outdoor base stations and polar unmanned aerial vehicles, require not only electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding but also effective anti-icing and deicing capabilities to prevent ice formation and accretion. Protective materials that integrate anti-icing/deicing and EMI shielding functions are critically in demand. The multifunctional superhydrophobic Ti3C2Tx MXene/poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) thin film presented herein accomplishes this goal through rational material selection and structural design. A continuous MXene-flakes-constructed conductive network is embedded with radially diameter-arranged PMMA microspheres driven by electrostatic force. Tightly packed nanospheres generate abundant hierarchical wrinkles on the surface, establishing the structural foundation for light absorptivity (89.56%) and hydrophobicity, which reaches a water contact angle of 155.6° after further hydrophobic modification. The existence of PMMA also prevents supercooled droplet penetration into the composite structure under high-humidity environments and prolongs icing time by retarding heat transfer simultaneously. Due to the excellent photothermal and electrothermal properties of MXene, the film surface can remain ice-free for extended periods (>1000 s) under low-temperature and high-humidity conditions with minimal external energy input, while also enabling rapid removal of any accumulated ice. The film remains superior EMI shielding performance, showing an EMI SE of 54.2 dB at 35 ± 7 μm thickness at X-band. This work supplies a promising approach for efficiently integrating anti/deicing and EMI shielding functions.

Electromagnetic pollution has intensified with the rapid expansion of wireless technologies and compact electronics. This has created a high demand for lightweight materials that can absorb microwaves (MA) and shield against electromagnetic interference (EMI). Foam-based structures are promising options because their porous designs naturally match impedance, promote internal reflections, and enable various loss mechanisms. These structures are also very light. Recent fabrication methods, such as freeze casting, space-holder replication, 3D printing, sol-gel foaming, and bio-templating, allow precise control over pore size, anisotropy, and the formation of conductive or magnetic networks. This enables customization of shielding performance. This review offers an integrated assessment of various foams, including metal, carbon, polymer, composite, and hybrid types. It examines how pore shape, interfacial properties, and filler connectivity influence conduction loss, interfacial polarization, magnetic interactions, and absorption-based attenuation. A major contribution is the systematic comparison of specific shielding effectiveness-measured as SE per density and SE per density-times-thickness-across representative systems. These comparisons show that optimized foam structures can outperform dense materials on a weight basis. This advantage is especially important for aerospace, wearable electronics, and portable devices. The review also highlights persisting challenges, including limited structure-property models, thermochemical instability, and measurement artefacts in ultralight foams. Finally, it outlines three promising research paths; biodegradable foams, magnetically tunable hybrids, and impedance-graded architectures, positioning foam-based materials as strong candidates for next-generation, sustainable EMI shielding.

ABSTRACT The rapid advancement of space science and technology poses severe challenges for deep space probes operating in extreme thermo‐electromagnetic environments. However, traditional rigid aerospace materials lack sufficient deformation adaptability and cannot integrate thermal protection with electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding. To overcome these limitations, we developed a Triple‐Network aerogel composite with thermally induced “Phoenix‐like” transformation, which was fabricated through a molecular‐scale covalent‐coordination strategy. The resulting titanium‐boron‐silicon phenolic aerogel (T‐BS‐PRf) features a triple cross‐linked interpenetrating network, which gives it an ultralow density of ≈0.204 g/cm 3 , excellent elasticity (>92% recovery at 50% strain), and a strength of 1.97 MPa and overcomes the typical strength–elasticity trade‐off. The composite also exhibits outstanding thermal insulation and ablation resistance, maintaining structural integrity with a very low linear ablation rate of 0.00279 mm/s after 30 min under a 1300°C flame. Notably, ablation triggers an in situ ceramic transformation, yielding a porous carbon aerogel (T‐BS‐Cf) that provides outstanding EMI shielding (92.8 dB in the X‐band) and retains robust mechanical properties (8.62 MPa strength, elasticity recovery 94.7% at 40% strain). This work successfully integrates high elasticity, extreme thermal protection, and effective EMI shielding in a single composite, offering a new design strategy for multifunctional spacecraft in extreme environments.

Nowadays, many individuals utilize the 5G network, which can give detrimental effects due to electromagnetic interference (EMI). EMI may harm not only high-tech electronic devices but also human health. In this study, the porous carbon was synthesized from palm kernel shell (PKS) via hydrothermal treatment at varying temperatures (160 °C, 180 °C, and 200 °C) followed by carbonization, and comprehensively characterized to understand its structural, chemical, and electromagnetic properties. X-ray diffraction (XRD) revealed broad (002) and (100) peaks across all samples, indicating amorphous graphitic carbon with limited crystallinity. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR) confirmed the presence of O–H, C–H, and C=C functional group. As the synthesis temperature increased, aromatic and graphitic characteristics became more pronounced, with 180 °C exhibiting a significant rise in C–H peak intensity. This suggests that 180 °C is an optimal carbonization temperature, promoting the formation or preservation of stable aliphatic structures without excessive degradation. Surface area analysis using the BET method showed that the sample treated at 180 °C exhibited the highest surface area (547.4 m²/g), suggesting optimal porosity formation. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) supported this finding, showing a fragmented and open morphology at 180 °C, in contrast to denser, spherical agglomerates observed at 200 °C. Due to its characteristics, the 180 °C sample was selected for electromagnetic characterization. S-parameter measurements at X-band frequency for epoxy composites filled with porous carbon revealed that increasing filler content led to reduced transmission coefficient, indicating enhanced electromagnetic wave attenuation. These improvements are attributed to increased dielectric losses and interfacial polarization facilitated by the highly porous carbon network. In conclusion, the study highlights the significance of hydrothermal synthesis temperature in tuning the structure and electromagnetic performance of biomass-derived porous carbon.

Rapid advances in electronics has led to a significant increase in electromagnetic radiation from electronic devices, posing potential threats to human health. Developing lightweight, high‐performance, and green electromagnetic interference (EMI) shields is crucial for mitigating electromagnetic pollution. EMI shielding research over the last decade has provided numerous alternatives to metal shields using carbon nanotubes, graphene, MXenes, etc. However, these shields are mostly reflection‐dominant, just like metals, due to their high conductivity, offering hardly any remedy to the secondary pollution issue. Thus, the research focus has shifted to reduce the reflection and develop absorption‐dominant EMI shields. A green index, defined as the ratio of absorption over reflection, must be well over 1 and preferably even as high as 10. This article provides an in‐depth review of the theoretical foundations of EMI shielding, highlighting various loss mechanisms, along with recent advances in absorption‐dominant EMI shields. Various strategies to reduce reflection through better impedance matching, including foam and aerogels, semiconductor fillers, magnetic fillers, gradient conductivity shields, conductivity‐magnetic dual gradient, segregated structures, printed shields, metastructures and others are discussed . Finally, design strategies of absorption‐dominant shields are analyzed, and current challenges and potential pathways are outlined to guide future advancements and facilitate practical implementation.

The rapid advancement of high-integration electronics demands materials that unify thermal, electrical, and mechanical functionalities. Liquid metals (LMs) exhibit exceptional conductivity and self-healing capabilities, but their intrinsic fluidity poses leakage risks. Incorporation with 2D materials yields LM-2D material composites with enhanced structural stability and multifunctional integration. This review systematically summarizes: 1) interfacial enhancement strategies (oxidation, heterometallic doping, polymer grafting, mechanochemistry) to improve wettability and dispersion; 2) representative structural designs, including blended, core-shell, layered, and 3D networks supported by elastomers or hydrogels; 3) key properties across different structural types, such as mechanical robustness, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity; 4) multifunctional applications enabled by enabled by property synergy, spanning thermal-mechanical coupling (thermal management), electrical-mechanical coupling (electromagnetic interference shielding, wearable sensors, and energy storage electrodes), and electrical-thermal-mechanical coupling (multifunctional films). Despite significant progress, critical challenges remain in scalable fabrication, long-term reliability, and efficient recycling. To address these challenges, this review further discusses emerging directions for LM-2D material composites, including novel composite systems, responsive smart materials, multiscale manufacturing technologies, and AI-assisted design, aiming to provide a roadmap for their development in next-generation electronic applications.

Silkworm-cocoon-inspired sandwich-structured hollow carbon nanofiber films with absorption-dominated electromagnetic interference shielding and tailored thermal management

Near–zero epsilon response and variable negative permittivity of flexible PVA-graphite metacomposites for absorption dominant electromagnetic interference shielding

High-performance wood-based composites with integrated architectures for enhanced electromagnetic interference shielding and mechanical strength

Hierarchically pepper wood-like Co3Fe7@C nanotubes for broadband microwave absorption and efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Graphene nanoplatelet/α-Fe2O3 integrated carbon fiber based composites for electromagnetic interference shielding and microwave absorption

Nanoarchitectured polymeric composites with internal porous conductive network for electromagnetic interference shielding and thermal management

Biomass materials and their derivatives for electromagnetic interference shielding: A review

Multifunctional PEEK-based composites with excellent thermal stability for superior wide-temperature electromagnetic interference shielding

Cellulose nanofiber based films with oriented, spiky ball-chain and cocoa-tree gradient heterostructures for electromagnetic interference shielding, thermal management, and sensing

Boron doping activated 3D porous graphene for high-performance electromagnetic interference shielding

Multifunctional gradient-engineered ultrathin flexible composite films for electromagnetic interference shielding, energy storage, and Joule heating

Lightweight graphene-copper core-shell nanofiber fabric for highly efficient electromagnetic interference shielding

Device-level performance in MXenes is dictated by architecture-planar nanosheets are optimal for electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding, while scrolled structures enhance ion transport for energy storage-particularly when morphology is programmed at synthesis. Whether such architectures can be deterministically encoded through precursor stoichiometry remains unresolved. Here, we demonstrate that precise carbon stoichiometry control in Ti3AlCxO2- x MAX phases tunes internal lattice strain and thereby directs the emergent MXene architecture. Carbon-rich precursors (x = 1.94) yield strain-relieved, high-crystalline nanosheets with metallic conductivity (∼23300Scm-1), enabling ultrathin films with record-high EMI shielding performances across X- and W-bands (≥ 2.0 × 106dB cm2 g-1 at 8.2GHz for 29nm; 108dB at 100GHz for 8 µm) and robust W-band retention after 5,000 bending cycles (r = 2.5mm). In contrast, carbon-deficient precursors (x = 1.71) introduce lattice compression and oxygen substitution, triggering spontaneous scrolling upon delamination. The resulting nanoscrolls offer exceptional ion accessibility, achieving 657F g-1 at 2mV s-1 with 99.4% retention over 12000 cycles. This stoichiometry-programmed approach establishes a synthesis-stage lever linking MAX chemistry to MXene architecture and function, enabling application-specific architecture design within established MAX/MXene synthesis and solution-processing workflows for next-generation electronics and energy storage.

Hundreds of thousands of tons of epoxy-containing carbon fibre (CF) wastes are generated from the manufacture of CF reinforced epoxy composites to their end-of-use. Today, most recycling strategies of these CF wastes aim at recovering CFs to the ones as virgin as possible, while techniques for efficiently converting CF wastes to materials of higher value, i.e., upcycling of CF wastes, are underexplored. Here, we develop a solid-flames upcycling technique using Mg and CaCO3 powders as reactants to convert CF wastes into graphene-grafted CFs (GCFs) and graphene powders within a few seconds. In Mg/CaCO3 solid-flames, Mg accelerates disconnection of C-O bonds in epoxy resins, promoting interconnection of C-C bonds that lead to the graphene-CF grafting microstructures. This solid-flames upcycling technique, with its superior sustainability metrics and attractiveness in commercial applications including reinforced graphite composites and electromagnetic interference shielding, presents a viable strategy for long-term management of accumulating CF wastes.