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Liu et al. Soft Sci. 2025, 5, 7 Soft Science
DOI: 10.20517/ss.2024.69

Review Article Open Access

Heterointerface engineering of polymer-based

electromagnetic wave absorbing materials

2,*
2
1
1
3,*
1
Shan Liu , Dengfeng Zhou , Fang Huang , Min He , Shuhao Qin , Yongqian Shi , Pingan Song 4,*
1
College of Materials and Energy Engineering, Guizhou Institute of Technology, Guiyang 550003, Guizhou, China.
2
College of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China.
3
College of Environment and Safety Engineering, Fuzhou University, Fuzhou 350116, Fujian, China.
4
Centre for Future Materials, School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland, Springfield,
QLD 4350, Australia.
* Correspondence to: Prof. Min He, College of Materials and Metallurgy, Guizhou University, Jiaxiu South Road, Huaxi District,
Guiyang 550025, Guizhou, China. E-mail: hemin851@163.com; Prof. Yongqian Shi, College of Environment and Safety
Engineering, Fuzhou University, 2 Wulongjiang North Avenue, Fuzhou 350116, Fujian, China. E-mail: shiyg1986@fzu.edu.cn; Prof.
Pingan Song, Centre for Future Materials, School of Agriculture and Environmental Science, University of Southern Queensland,
37 Sinnathamby Boulevard, Springfield, QLD 4350, Australia. E-mail: pingan.song@usq.edu.au
How to cite this article: Liu, S.; Zhou, D.; Huang, F.; He, M.; Qin, S.; Shi, Y.; Song, P. Heterointerface engineering of polymer-based
electromagnetic wave absorbing materials. Soft Sci. 2025, 5, 7. https://dx.doi.org/10.20517/ss.2024.69
Received: 30 Nov 2024 First Decision: 2 Jan 2025 Revised: 9 Jan 2025 Accepted: 14 Jan 2025 Published: 18 Jan 2025
Academic Editor: YongAn Huang Copy Editor: Pei-Yun Wang Production Editor: Pei-Yun Wang

Abstract
Heterointerface engineering has drawn considerable interest in tuning interfacial polarization and promoting
impedance matching. Therefore, it has become a key strategy for optimizing electromagnetic wave (EMW)
absorption. This comprehensive review primarily focused on the EMW absorbing strategies of polymer-based
materials, emphasizing the critical developments of heterointerface engineering. A possible EMW absorbing
mechanism of polymer-based materials was proposed, emphasizing the synergism of multi-components,
microstructure design, and heterointerface engineering. Key innovations in structural design such as porous
structure, multilayered structure, and segregated structure are explored, highlighting their contributions to
enhancing EMW absorption. Also, the review highlights the latest research progress of advanced conductive
polymer-based and insulating polymer-based materials with desirable EMW absorption performance; their
fabrication methods, structures, properties, and EMW absorption mechanisms were elucidated in detail. Key
challenges on polymer-based EMW absorbing materials are presented followed by some future perspectives.
Keywords: Heterointerface engineering, electromagnetic wave absorption, polymer-based, structure design, multi-
component

© The Author(s) 2025. Open Access This article is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0
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