Reversible metal electrodeposition assisting polyaniline for tri-mode adaptive radiative thermoregulation devices

Adaptive infrared (IR) radiation management and adaptive camouflage require electrochromic (EC) systems with both ultra-fast switching kinetics and broad IR emissivity tunability. However, current polyaniline (PANI)-based devices suffer from limited modulation range and sluggish response. Herein, we report a strategy that leverages reversible metal electro-deposition (RME) to engineer PANI film through in-situ deposition/ dissolution of Ag, markedly enhancing carrier migration within PANI and improving its electrical conductivity and redox activity. As a result, record-breaking IR emissivity modulation (Δε = 0.62 at 2.5–25 μm) and an ultra-fast response time (0.68 s for coloring/0.57 s for bleaching) of PANI films were achieved. Wearable and flexible IR-EC devices assembled demonstrate high IR emissivity modulation (Δε = 0.54 at 8–14 μm), robust mechanical durability over 20,000 bending cycles, and tri-mode dynamic modulation across visible to IR bands, enabling effective adaptive camouflage in typical woodland, desert and snow environments with all-time. Furthermore, meter-scale IR-EC fibers were fabricated via a continuous preparation process, delivering uniform long-range thermal regulation (ΔT_t > 20 °C), which were integrated into large-area, breathable IR-EC textiles. This work highlights the potential of RME process to significantly improve the IR-EC performance of PANI, offering promise for energy-efficient thermal management, adaptive camouflage and multispectral modulation applications.