Recent advances of carbon-based electromagnetic wave absorption materials facing the actual situations

In order to protect human safety, ensure the normal operation of precision instruments and improve national defense capabilities, it is necessary to develop electromagnetic waves absorbing materials to solve the issue of electromagnetic pollution. Carbon materials offer the characteristics of abundant species, low density, tunable conductivity, and outstanding mechanical property, enabling them to be used in a wide range of applications, and are of particular interest in the electromagnetic protection technology. In recent years, a large number of carbon-based absorbers have been synthesized and investigated in pursuit of the ideal goal with “thin thickness, light density, wide effective bandwidth and strong absorption” characteristics. In this review, it begins with a detailed description of the electromagnetic waves attenuation mechanisms. Next, a systematic summary of strategies to optimize the electromagnetic protection effect of carbon-based absorbers is provided. Thirdly, the multifunctional requirements of absorbing materials are discussed in depth when faced with practical application situations. Finally, we put forward the challenges and prospects of carbon-based protection materials, which can serve as a reference for the development of high-performance absorbers.