Flexible polymer-based electromagnetic functional materials in the intelligent era

With rapid advances in electronics and communications, traditional electromagnetic functional materials (EFMs), constrained by their passive singular function, limited physical forms, and processing methods, can no longer meet the demands of the intelligent era. Consequently, EFMs are undergoing an iterative transformation toward multifunctionality, deviceization, and systematization. Flexible polymer-based materials, owing to their processing adaptability and structural conformability, have emerged as important platforms for achieving functional integration. Grounded in the current state of flexible polymer-based EFMs in the intelligent era, we systematically elucidate their innovative theories, design strategies, and device fabrication methodologies. It comprehensively summarizes the emerging demands that key application scenarios place on EFMs, identifies the bottlenecks encountered during this evolutionary process, and proposes potential solutions. Finally, it provides a forward-looking perspective on future directions for EFMs. Ultimately, we not only offer a systematic framework for the development of EFMs but also delineate an expandable pathway for their advancement.