Achieving Visible-infrared Active Camouflage through the Synergy of Graphite-Photothermal and Porous-Selective Scattering Materials

While the active camouflage approach based on thermochromic materials in the visible–infrared spectrum achieves camouflage effects, it suffers from issues such as temperature-dependent color change, limited color range, and color nonuniformity, which undermine its reliability and applicability. This paper presents a visible–infrared active camouflage device comprising light-emitting diodes with a photothermal-scattering hybrid structure (PSHS-LED camouflage device), which includes a flexible LED display array, a photothermal conversion layer, and a flexible scattering layer. Herein, the employed photothermal conversion layer made of graphite-infused polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) functions to convert a portion of visible light into heat which is emitted in the form of infrared radiation. At the same time, the selective scattering layer made of porous poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), in which the incident visible light will be diffusely propagated, whereas infrared light undergoes minimal scattering. Finally, a visible–infrared active camouflage device enabling independent control of visible-light and infrared imaging is obtained, ensuring effective camouflage in the visible–infrared detection domain. The manufactured PSHS-LED camouflage device exhibits a distinctly discernible infrared imaging effect when the infrared detector is sufficiently close, with a maximum temperature difference of 15 °C within the device. Meanwhile, the manufactured PSHS-LED camouflage device exhibits a wide color gamut (102% of the Adobe RGB gamut) and uniform display performance, offering a viable solution for visible–infrared active camouflage.