Solution-processed electrochromics for synergistic solar and radiative heat management

Maintaining thermal comfort sustainably is critical to reduce the share of global energy used for heating and cooling. However, current radiative materials for personal thermal management typically offer a singular direction of operation (either heating or cooling), lacking intelligent and sustainable adaptability to fluctuating environments. Here we report an all-solid-state autonomous colour-changing skin (ACCS) that integrates both solar heating and radiative cooling within a single energy-efficient platform. Inspired by the adaptive behaviour of chameleon skin, the ACCS enables continuous modulation of emissivity across the solar (0.3–2.5 µm) and mid-infrared (8–13 µm) spectra. The device tunes solar absorptivity by ~40% and infrared emissivity by over 50% under a voltage bias of only ±1.3 V, maintaining each state for more than 24 h without power consumption. Outdoor tests revealed reversible temperature differences of up to 15.5 °C between heating and cooling modes, while a single smartphone battery can power over 200 full-range switching cycles. The solution-processable functional layers permit scalable fabrication via drop-casting and roll-to-roll techniques, extending applications from wearable devices to large-area environmental control. This flexible, energy-neutral platform advances adaptive personal thermoregulation and illustrates how multispectral electrochromic design can decouple human comfort from fossil fuel-based climate control, contributing to global sustainability goals.

Duke Scholars

Author Willie John Padilla Pierre R. Lamond Department of Electrical and Computer Engin ...