Conductive textiles; an ideal solution for flexible and versatile electromagnetic interference shielding—status and prospects

Electromagnetic (EM) wave pollution is one of the severe environmental issues. Humans and other living beings exposed to these EM waves are susceptible to health issues. Hence, satisfactory protection from these EM waves is necessary. Traditionally, metals have been used for electromagnetic interference shielding (EMIS), but they have limited applications due to their stiff and heavy nature. Many metals and carbon-based EMI shielding materials have already been employed for shielding against such waves. However, their limitations, such as stiffness and brittleness, have limited their applications in these fields. Recently, textile-based materials and conductive fabrics have gained significant importance for EMIS due to their flexibility, lightweight, ease of manufacturing, cost-effectiveness, and versatility. This review is carried out to summaries the methods, materials, and techniques of production and characterization of conductive woven, knitted, and nonwoven fabrics for EMIS.