Design and advanced manufacturing of electromagnetic interference shielding materials

Electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding is critical in electronic applications. However, the currently available EMI shielding materials are restricted in customizability and application flexibility. Recent advances in manufacturing technologies have provided a unique path to achieve the custom creation of EMI shielding solutions. A successful example is additive manufacturing (AM), which has enabled high design freedom, efficient performance regulation, and multifunctionality simultaneously into fabricated shields, offering an opportunity to start a revolution in the field of EMI shielding. In this review, we summarize the latest advances in AM of EMI shielding materials, aiming to provide a deep understanding of the connection between raw materials, manufacturing methods, design considerations, and performances of the fabricated EMI shields. We first introduce the EMI shielding mechanism and available raw materials, subsequently focusing on the characteristics of representative AM methods and the as-created EMI shielding solutions. Based on the requirements to create application-oriented EMI shielding solutions, these methods are also critically compared. Thereafter, we present the state-of-the-art design considerations of EMI shields and examine the pivotal roles of AM in realizing the designs. We conclude by discussing future research directions, aiming at motivating the use of AM in the future developments of EMI shielding solutions.