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Chainmail-inspired conformable and switchable microwave metamaterial absorber
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  • Published: 20 January 2026

Chainmail-inspired conformable and switchable microwave metamaterial absorber

  • Ruiyang Tan1,
  • Jintang Zhou  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0003-1442-08692 &
  • Ping Chen  ORCID: orcid.org/0000-0001-8264-17301,3 

Nature Communications , Article number:  (2026) Cite this article

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We are providing an unedited version of this manuscript to give early access to its findings. Before final publication, the manuscript will undergo further editing. Please note there may be errors present which affect the content, and all legal disclaimers apply.

Subjects

  • Applied optics
  • Mechanical engineering
  • Metamaterials

Abstract

The rigidity of conventional microwave absorbers impedes their reliable integration with complex curved surfaces and deformable components. However, these capabilities remain indispensable for electromagnetic stealth and miniaturized electromagnetic compatibility (EMC) applications that rely on advanced conformal wave-manipulation. To overcome these challenges, we present a chainmail-inspired conformal and switchable microwave metamaterial absorber, conveniently fabricated via 3D printing. The structure exhibits a broadband effective absorption bandwidth (EAB) from 6.2 to 17.6 GHz, while its interlocking topological design enables curvature adaptation without deformation of the absorbing parts. After conformal shaping, the average absorptivity decreases by only 0.049, demonstrating markedly enhanced robustness compared with conventional designs. Furthermore, we integrate the microwave absorber with elastic bands to achieve reversible switching between expanded and contracted states, extending the minimum operating frequency. The optimally configured design achieves a cumulative bandwidth (union of the EABs achieved at 24 cm and 27 cm configurations) from 4.6 to 18 GHz, circumventing the Rozanov limit through dynamic switching. This work provides a practical strategy for realizing switchable ultra-wideband conformal microwave absorbers in diverse electromagnetic applications.

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Data availability

The data that support the findings of this study are available in the Article and the Supplementary Information. Source data are provided with this paper. The data generated in this study have been deposited in the Figshare database under accession code https://doi.org/10.6084/m9.figshare.30569414.

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Acknowledgements

This work is supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC) (62371222 to P.C.), Defense Industrial Technology Development Program (JCKY2023605C002 to J.Z.), and Priority Academic Program Development of Jiangsu Higher Education Institutions.

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. School of Electronic Science and Engineering, Nanjing University, Nanjing, China

    Ruiyang Tan & Ping Chen

  2. College of Materials Science and Technology, Nanjing University of Aeronautics and Astronautics, Nanjing, China

    Jintang Zhou

  3. Suzhou Laboratory, Suzhou, China

    Ping Chen

Authors
  1. Ruiyang Tan
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  2. Jintang Zhou
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  3. Ping Chen
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Contributions

R.T. conceived, designed, and performed the experiments, analyzed the data, and drafted the manuscript. J.Z. assisted with data processing. P.C. and J.Z. provided suggestions and revised the manuscript. P.C. supervised the project. All authors approved the final manuscript.

Corresponding author

Correspondence to Ping Chen.

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Tan, R., Zhou, J. & Chen, P. Chainmail-inspired conformable and switchable microwave metamaterial absorber. Nat Commun (2026). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68694-9

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  • Received: 08 May 2025

  • Accepted: 12 January 2026

  • Published: 20 January 2026

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1038/s41467-026-68694-9

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