Inorganic High-Performance Fiber-Based Materials for Electromagnetic Interference Shielding: Fundamentals, Fabrications, and Emerging Applications

Confronted with increasingly severe challenges of electromagnetic interference (EMI) and electromagnetic radiation pollution in industrial, military, and aerospace applications, the development of novel materials that combine high shielding efficiency with excellent comprehensive performance has become a research hotspot. Inorganic high-performance fibers (IHPFs), recognized for their lightweight nature, outstanding mechanical properties, and chemical stability, are regarded as ideal candidate materials for designing lightweight, durable, and structurally functional integrated EM shielding systems. However, besides metal fibers, most IHPFs exhibit intrinsic surface chemical inertness and physical smoothness, resulting in poor interfacial compatibility and weak adhesion with functional coatings or resin matrices, which significantly undermine the long-term service reliability of composites under extreme conditions. This paper introduces the EM shielding mechanism, highlights common issues of surface inertness in IHPFs, and elaborates on both "dry" and "wet" surface modification strategies. These strategies enable the formation of robust functional layers, facilitating the integration of high strength, high modulus, and multifunctionality, while ensuring interfacial reliability in composites. Furthermore, the principles and processing techniques of various strategies for fabricating EMI shielding functional layers on IHPFs surfaces are reviewed, and recent advances in the application of functionalized IHPFs, as well as service reliability and environmental stability, are summarized, including EMI shielding protection and radar-absorbing stealth. Finally, the challenges and future research directions for the large-scale and long-term stable application of IHPF-based EMI shielding functionalization in high-end fields are discussed, offering insights that may accelerate the development of next-generation lightweight, sustainable, and multifunctional EMI shielding materials.