Unique applications of carbon materials in infrared stealth: A review

Carbon materials have revolutionized the field of stealth technology with their intriguing properties, such as low weight, large specific surface area, high mechanical strength and good electrical conductivity. The advancement of infrared stealth is particularly critical in order to counter the threat of infrared detection and the deadly strike of precision guidance. The employment of carbon black, carbon nanotubes or graphene offers attractive opportunities to synthesize lightweight, versatile and intelligent infrared stealth materials. This review first introduces brief background information about infrared stealth materials, followed by the analysis of infrared stealth mechanisms. Importantly, we aim to summarize and critically evaluate the hitherto efforts in the design and preparation of carbon-based composites to facilitate the development of infrared stealth waves. The future prospects of carbon-based composites for next-generation infrared stealth materials are presented.