Stretchable Metamaterials with Tunable Infrared Emissivity for Dynamic Thermal Management

Area of Science:

• Metamaterials
• Nanotechnology
• Thermal Management

Background:

• Infrared emissivity control is vital for dynamic thermal management.
• Surface structure and optical properties significantly influence emissivity.
• Metamaterials offer tunable optical properties for advanced applications.

Purpose of the Study:

• To design and demonstrate a metamaterial for dynamic infrared emissivity control.
• To investigate the effect of mechanical stretching on emissivity.
• To achieve tunable thermal management through dynamic emissivity modulation.

Main Methods:

• Fabrication of an aluminum disk array on a polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrate.
• Mechanical stretching to induce dynamic changes in surface structure and interdisk gap.
• Theoretical calculations (plasmon resonance, exposed PDMS area) and experimental validation.
• In situ stretching platform for real-time emissivity measurement.

Main Results:

• Optimal metamaterial dimensions determined: 6 μm diameter, 100 nm height.
• Stretching PDMS substrate altered interdisk gap, tuning infrared emissivity.
• Demonstrated a 56% modulation in integral infrared emissivity (0.32 to 0.5) at 13% biaxial strain.
• Achieved a significant temperature difference (44.1 °C) between samples with different periods.

Conclusions:

• The designed metamaterial enables dynamic control of infrared emissivity via mechanical stretching.
• This approach offers a promising pathway for advanced, tunable thermal management systems.
• The material's ability to modulate emissivity makes it suitable for adaptive thermal applications.