Recent advances in electrochromic materials and devices for camouflage applications

Abstract

Electrochromic (EC) materials and devices, whose optical properties (color, reflectance, emittance, etc.) can be manipulated by switching to a low-voltage bias, show great promise in many applications such as smart windows, adaptive military camouflage, displays, and anti-glare rearview mirrors. In recent years, EC materials and devices for camouflage, including color camouflage and thermal camouflage, have attracted growing attention and research interest due to their many attractive properties such as rapid response, controllable optical modulation, low energy consumption (bistability), and flexibility. Despite the continuous development of related fields, the design and fabrication of EC devices that truly meet the requirements of camouflage applications still face tremendous challenges. Herein, in this review, we first briefly introduce the structures and main performance parameters of EC devices for camouflage. Then we comprehensively summarize the latest research progress of EC technology in the camouflage field from the aspects of color camouflage and thermal camouflage. Finally, the current challenges and future perspectives in the EC camouflage field are proposed and discussed. It is our hope that this review will accelerate the development of these promising EC materials and devices and provide guidance for developing mature camouflage devices.