Regulating the Dielectric Behavior of Conductive Polymers Through Vapor Phase Infiltration for Tunable Microwave Absorption

Abstract

Conductive polymers have emerged as promising candidates for microwave absorbing materials due to their low density, structural flexibility, and tunable dielectric properties. However, persistent challenges such as conductivity decline, interfacial instability, and insufficient intrinsic loss capability dramatically limit the potential. Herein, vapor phase infiltration (VPI) is reported for the first time as a general interfacial engineering strategy for conductive polymer absorbers, enabling simultaneous regulation of dielectric behavior and enhancement of environmental stability. By infiltrating AlO_x into the in situ polymerized polypyrrole layer on polyurethane foams, the VPI process establishes a gradient hybrid interface from the aluminum-rich surface to the moderately hybridized interior, which facilitates charge transport through interconnected pathways and promotes stability by optimizing stress distribution. The VPI-modified foam exhibits enhanced absorption efficiency per unit thickness (~2.6 times that of the pristine foam) and achieves continuous frequency tuning (from S to Ku bands) and “on/off” function under compressive strain (0–70%) while also maintaining stable performance after prolonged acid/alkaline corrosion or continuous mechanical compression. Theoretical analysis reveals that the mechanism for enhanced polarization loss originates from a reorganization of charge density and bandgap narrowing at the VPI-induced interface. This study provides guidance for designing high-performance polymer-based microwave absorbers and highlights the critical role of atomic-level interface engineering in electromagnetic wave dissipation.

Keywords

conductive polymers / dynamic frequency tuning / environmental stability / microwave absorption / vapor phase infiltration

References

[1] Y. Han, H. Guo, H. Qiu, J. Hu, M. He, X. Shi, Y. Zhang, J. Kong, J. Gu, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 25, 2506803.

[2] Y. Liu, J. Zhou, C. Li, H. Zhang, Y. Wang, Y. Yan, L. Duan, Z. Cheng, Y. Ma, Z. Yao, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 202.

[3] M. Yuan, B. Li, Y. Du, J. Liu, X. Zhou, J. Cui, H. Lv, R. Che, Adv. Mater. 2025, 37, 2417580.

[4] H. Long, Y. Qian, S. Gang, W. Zhang, B. Yang, Y. Wei, B. Wang, W. Li, Q. Jiang, ACS Nano 2025, 19, 1819.

[5] J. Qi, C. Liang, K. Ruan, M. Li, H. Guo, M. He, H. Qiu, Y. Guo, J. Gu, Natl. Sci. Rev. 2025, 12, nwaf394.

[6] J. Liu, S. Zhang, D. Qu, X. Zhou, M. Yin, C. Wang, X. Zhang, S. Li, P. Zhang, Y. Zhou, K. Tao, M. Li, B. Wei, H. Wu, Nano-Micro Lett. 2024, 17, 24.

[7] N. Qu, H. Sun, Y. Sun, M. He, R. Xing, J. Gu, J. Kong, Nat. Commun. 2024, 15, 5642.

[8] Y. Zhang, Y. Zhang, L. Yan, C. Liu, P. Ying, X. Li, F. Xu, D.-H. Kim, G. Ji, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 35, 2508832.

[9] C. Xu, X. Xiong, Y. Du, X. Lv, Z. Wu, K. Luo, Y. Qian, R. Che, InfoMat 2025, 7, e12645.

[10] T. G. Weldemhret, Y. T. Park, J. I. Song, Adv. Colloid Interf. Sci. 2024, 326, 103132.

[11] J. Wang, K. Yan, X. Li, Y. Zong, Q. Xu, X. Sun, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 35, 2418071.

[12] S. Xiong, L. Cai, G. Chen, C. Dong, H. Guan, Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2025, 8, 238.

[13] A. Liu, X. Xu, H. Qiu, H. Guo, M. He, Z. Yu, Y. Zhang, J. Gu, InfoMat 2025, 7, e70060.

[14] R. Islam, Y. Sood, H. Mudila, A. Ohlan, A. Kumar, J. Mater. Chem. A 2024, 12, 31004.

[15] L. Zhang, J. Du, P. Tang, X. Zhao, C. Hu, Y. Dong, X. Zhang, N. Liu, B. Wang, R. Peng, Y. Zhang, G. Wu, Small 2024, 20, 2406001.

[16] J. Xiao, B. Zhan, M. He, X. Qi, Y. Zhang, H. Guo, Y. Qu, W. Zhong, J. Gu, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2025, 35, 2419266.

[17] Y. Zhang, S. Zhang, D. Lan, J. Yao, Z. Gao, G. Wu, J. Jiao, Small 2025, 21, 2500581.

[18] G. Wang, M. Dong, H. Deng, X. Ma, B. Zhu, L. Zhou, X. Zhang, D. Tan, H. Algadi, Adv. Compos. Hybrid Mater. 2024, 8, 84.

[19] X. Wu, P. Kang, Y. Zhang, H. Guo, S. Yang, Q. Zheng, L. Wang, W. Jiang, J. Mater. Sci. Technol. 2025, 205, 258.

[20] C. Z. Leng, M. D. Losego, Mater. Horiz. 2017, 4, 747.

[21] A. Subramanian, N. Tiwale, C. Y. Nam, JOM 2019, 71, 185.

[22] V. P. Nguyen, M. Lim, K. S. Kim, J. H. Kim, J. S. Park, J. M. Yuk, S. M. Lee, J. Mater. Chem. A 2021, 9, 10739.

[23] N. Chamorro, I. Azpitarte, M. Autore, H. Ablat, I. Saric Jankovic, I. Amenabar, C. Tollan, P. Vavassori, R. Hillenbrand, S. Elliott, M. Knez, ACS Appl. Polym. Mater. 2024, 6, 10592.

[24] Z. Jia, W. Wang, C. Ma, X. Zhang, R. Yan, J. Zhu, Nanotechnology 2024, 35, 265701.

[25] S. M. Lee, E. Pippel, U. Gösele, C. Dresbach, Y. Qin, C. V. Chandran, T. Bräuniger, G. Hause, M. Knez, Science 2009, 324, 488.

[26] W. Wang, C. Chen, C. Tollan, F. Yang, M. Beltrán, Y. Qin, M. Knez, ACS Appl. Mater. Interfaces 2017, 9, 27964.

[27] M. Mariello, M. von Allmen, K. Wu, M. Van Gompel, S. P. Lacour, Y. Leterrier, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2024, 34, 2403973.

[28] H. Ren, T. Li, H. Wang, Z. Guo, T. Chen, F. Meng, Chem. Eng. J. 2022, 427, 131582.

[29] P. Bhaskar, E. Shackelford, E. K. McGuinness, M. Kathaperumal, M. D. Losego, M. Swaminathan, IEEE Trans. Device Mater. Reliab. 2023, 23, 564.

[30] W. Wang, H. Qin, H. Li, D. Lan, Y. Wang, Y. Han, D. Liu, R. Liu, G. Wu, Sci. China-Mater. 2025, 68, 3757.

[31] J. Wang, X. Guo, D. Lan, Y. Wang, H. Huang, C. Zhang, G. Wu, S. Zhang, Z. Jia, Carbon 2025, 245, 120818.

[32] H. Sun, R. Che, X. You, Y. Jiang, Z. Yang, J. Deng, L. Qiu, H. Peng, Adv. Mater. 2014, 26, 8120.

[33] S. Shi, P. Mou, D. Wang, X. Li, S. Teng, M. Zhou, X. Yu, Z. Deng, G. Wan, G. Wang, J. Mater. 2024, 10, 124.

[34] R. Sun, H. Lv, G. Lian, L. Wang, M. Huang, W. You, R. Che, Soft Sci. 2025, 5, 35.

[35] P. Mou, G. Wan, L. Wu, D. Liu, G. Wang, J. Mater. Chem. A 2023, 11, 4345.

[36] J. Tao, L. Xu, H. Jin, Y. Gu, J. Zhou, Z. Yao, X. Tao, P. Chen, W. Dinghui, Z. Li, H. Wu, Adv. Powder Mater. 2023, 2, 100091.

[37] B. Hao, Z. Chai, M. Li, J. Duan, Y. Zhang, Y. Zhang, C. Li, C. Gong, Soft Sci. 2025, 5, 39.

[38] J. Zhou, Y. Liu, C. Zhou, W. Wang, L. Duan, Y. Wang, Z. Yao, Chem. Eng. J. 2023, 477, 147042.

[39] Y. Liu, X. Wei, X. He, J. Yao, R. Tan, P. Chen, B. Yao, J. Zhou, Z. Yao, Adv. Funct. Mater. 2023, 33, 2211352.

[40] J. Tao, Y. Yan, J. Zhou, J. Wang, P. Chen, R. Tan, L. Xu, H. Zhu, W. Zhu, H. Huang, X. Tao, Z. Yao, Nat. Commun. 2025, 16, 3163.

[41] Y. Li, Y. Lu, Z. Liu, D. Lei, M. Yang, D. Yang, Y. Jin, J. Liu, D. Lan, Rare Metals 2025, 44, 6531.

[42] G. Wang, C. Li, D. Estevez, P. Xu, M. Peng, H. Wei, F. Qin, Nano-Micro Lett. 2023, 15, 152.

[43] W. Zhao, Z. Guo, D. Lan, Z. Jia, S. Zhang, G. Wu, Small 2025, 21, e09339.

[44] L. Wu, S. Shi, J. Liu, X. Liu, P. Mou, J. Zhao, L. Li, L. Yu, J. Wen, G. Wang, Nano Energy 2023, 118, 108938.

[45] L. Wu, J. Liu, X. Liu, P. Mou, H. Lv, R. Liu, J. Wen, J. Zhao, J. Li, G. Wang, Nano Lett. 2024, 24, 3369.

Rights & permissions

2026 The Author(s). Energy & Environmental Materials published by John Wiley & Sons Australia, Ltd on behalf of Zhengzhou University.