To explore the preparation of civilian electromagnetic shielding and military stealth carbonbased highperformance waveabsorbing materials,the different compounding and preparation methods of carbonbased waveabsorbing materials such as carbon nanotubes and magnetic metal composites,carbon nanotubes and ferrite composites,carbon nanotubes/polymer composites,carbon,and graphitebased composites were studied.The different characteristics, influencing factors, performance characteristics and related applications are compared.It is indicated that multivariate compounding,low dimensionality and process optimization are effective ways for the preparation of highperformance carbonbased microwave absorption materials.