VO2-Based Infrared Radiation Regulator with Excellent Dynamic Thermal Management Performance
Jinxin Gu1, Hang Wei2, Feifei Ren2
1School of Chemical Engineering and Technology, Harbin Institute of Technology, Harbin 150001, China.
ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
|January 4, 2022
Summary
This study introduces a smart infrared radiation regulator using tungsten-doped vanadium dioxide (VO2) in a Fabry-Pérot cavity. The material achieves tunable emittance and near-room-temperature phase transition for efficient dynamic thermal management.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Optics
Background:
- Dynamic thermal management materials offer energy savings over static alternatives.
- Vanadium dioxide (VO2)-based regulators face limitations due to high transition temperatures and low emittance tunability.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a smart infrared radiation regulator with improved emittance tunability and lower transition temperature.
- To address the practical application limitations of existing VO2-based thermal management materials.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a VO2/HfO2/Al Fabry-Pérot cavity structure using high-power impulse magnetron sputtering (HiPIMS).
- Tungsten (W) doping of VO2 to reduce phase transition temperature.
- Characterization of optical and thermal properties.
Main Results:
- Achieved outstanding emittance tunability of 0.51.
- Lowered the phase transition temperature to 27.5 °C.
- Demonstrated a numerical thermal management power of 196.3 W/m² (8-14 μm band) across a 0-60 °C range.
Conclusions:
- The proposed VO2 infrared radiation regulator shows significant potential for dynamic thermal management in buildings and vehicles.
- The developed material overcomes key limitations of traditional VO2-based regulators.
- The large-scale production feasibility via HiPIMS is highlighted.
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