Comprehensive review of advances in natural fiber composites for conductive and EMI shielding applications: Materials, mechanisms, and future prospects.

Natural fiber composites (NFCs) have emerged as environmentally friendly and renewable alternatives for lightweight conductive materials and electromagnetic interference (EMI) shielding applications. However, their inherently low electrical conductivity necessitates the incorporation of conductive fillers such as carbon nanotubes, graphene, and metal nanoparticles to enhance their functional properties. In addition to information on environmental durability and recyclability, standardized testing procedures for assessing electrical, mechanical, and shielding performance are provided. Emerging intelligent NFCs with adaptive and self-healing capabilities receive particular focus. Future research directions are suggested, with an emphasis on multifunctionality, green processing, and circular design techniques. These developments position NFCs as sustainable and high-performance candidates for next-generation shielding materials in electronics, aerospace, and telecommunications. However, challenges such as moisture sensitivity, fiber-matrix compatibility, and performance trade-offs remain key obstacles to widespread industrial adoption. However, recent developments in hybrid composite structures, surface modifications, and bio-based conductive fillers are paving the way for commercial applications in wearable electronics, automotive components, aerospace structures, and military defense systems. In this review, recent developments, challenges, and future perspectives of conductive and EMI shielding NFCs are summarized, highlighting their potential to replace traditional synthetic composites in high-performance applications.