Research progress on conductive polymer-based microwave absorption materials: from materials design to functionalities and applications

Abstract

Microwaves play a critical role in modern technological applications, yet excessive exposure poses significant threats to human health and electronic equipment reliability. These concerns necessitate the urgent development of high-performance microwave absorption materials (MAMs). In recent years, conductive polymer-based MAMs have emerged as a research frontier in electromagnetic (EM) wave absorption due to their unique structural and functional merits. These materials enable synergistic optimization of material density and absorption performance through molecular structure modulation and micromorphological design. Precise control of impedance matching characteristics can be achieved via doping or composite engineering, while the construction of multicomponent heterostructures induces pronounced dielectric–magnetic synergistic loss effects, thereby broadening the effective absorption bandwidth (EAB). Additionally, their intrinsic flexibility, corrosion resistance, and environmental stability further enhance their application potential. This review systematically examines recent advances in three representative conductive polymer-based composite systems for microwave absorption, focusing on composition design and structural strategies, highlighting the critical integration of microwave absorption capabilities with multifunctional properties, and analyzing their applications in military and civil fields. Finally, key challenges and future research directions for conductive polymer-based MAMs are identified to address evolving demands for next-generation microwave absorption solutions.