Penguin-Inspired Janus Composite Film for Thermal Management Enabling Ultrahigh-Dynamic Broadband Microwave Modulation

The realization of future green and intelligent societies demands advanced materials capable of dynamic thermal management and adaptive electromagnetic wave regulation. However, conventional thermal management materials are inherently limited in dynamic regulation capabilities owing to their static optical and electromagnetic properties. Herein, we propose a penguin-inspired VO₂-based Janus architecture that synergistically integrates dynamic thermal regulation with broadband microwave modulation. This architecture comprises a VO₂-based photothermal layer exhibiting 94.5% solar absorptance and a radiative-cooling layer demonstrating >90% solar reflectance coupled with 97.1% mid-infrared emittance, thereby enabling bidirectional thermal management. Notably, leveraging a four-order-of-magnitude resistance switching of VO₂ during its metal-insulator transition, the film demonstrates broadband microwave modulation (8.2–40 GHz) with a significant dynamic tunability (0.78–32.1 dB) in the X-band. Furthermore, the film features superhydrophobic characteristics, conferring anti-icing, de-icing, and self-cleaning functionalities. By integrating dynamic photothermal conversion and microwave modulation within a scalable biomimetic framework, this research provides a new strategy for next-generation intelligent material systems.