A nova with superior dynamic multi-band camouflage capacity based on carbon nanotubes and W18O49 nanowires

Whether to achieve multicolor changes in visible band alone or dynamically tunable infrared emissivity alone, electrochromism has shown strong potential to meet the camouflage requirements of their respective bands. However, a combination of camouflage requirements operating in multi-band raises challenges to the electrochromic (EC) devices that initially performed well in a single band, due to “catching one and losing another”. In this paper, dynamic multi-band camouflage is demonstrated with multicolor change and tunable infrared emissivity by the reflective EC device using the carbon nanotubes and tungsten oxide nanowires (CNT-W 18 O 49 NWs) film as the top working electrode. The devices show eight brilliant structural colors sufficient to simulate a variety of scenes in nature, especially yellow, yellow-green, and blue-green colors, which are enough to meet the military equipment needs to adapt to the natural environment, including deserts, Gobi, jungles, and oceans; meanwhile, the infrared emissivity modulation of 0.52 also realizes the excellent infrared camouflage potential while demonstrating the thermal management capability of 13.4 °C. This work provides an efficient and cost-effective pathway for conventional EC materials in multi-band camouflage.