Flexible All-Solid-State Zinc-Based Electrochromic Energy Storage Devices for Adaptive Military Camouflage

Electrochromic (EC) technology, with its reversible color changes and special light modulation, has a wide range of applications in adaptive military camouflage. However, there are still some problems such as difficulties with multicolor display, flexible patterned displays, and difficult integration with electrochromic and energy storage that limit its development and applications in portable military camouflage devices. In this work, a multicolored conjugated polymer, p3DT-FSQ, was designed and prepared by electrochemical polymerization. The polymer film exhibits a reversible color change, high optical contrast, and a fast switching time. On this basis, the reflective and transmissive zinc-based electrochromic devices (RZECD and TZECD) were optimally assembled based on the p3DT-FSQ film as the EC layer and zinc sheet or zinc frame as the counter electrode. Both RZECD and TZECD show reversible orange-yellow, earthy yellow, and army green colors at various potentials with good energy storage properties and excellent flexibility, meeting the demand for color variation and functionality in modern electronic combat environments. It is even more intriguing that the patterned TZECDs can accurately simulate six combat environments, including Gobi, highland, wilderness, cropland, desert, and forest. This work presents a design strategy for an adaptive EC military camouflage device that also has an energy storage function, making it an excellent choice for portable adaptive military camouflage.