Fabrication of W-doped VO2 materials with low phase transition temperature for adaptive thermal camouflage application

This paper reports on the synthesis of W-doped VO₂ materials and the characterization of their phase transition temperature (PTT). Utilizing a microwave-assisted combustion synthesis method, the materials were successfully prepared with high homogeneity in particle size, while the processing time was shortened. The phase composition of the materials was determined by X-ray diffraction (XRD), which revealed that at certain doping levels, the material exhibited a structural change from monoclinic to tetragonal at room temperature. The morphology of the synthesized VO₂ was evaluated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), showing uniform particle sizes of less than 200 nm. Differential Scanning Calorimetry (DSC) analysis indicated that the PTT of pure VO₂ was 67.2 °C. In contrast, as the W-doping concentration was incrementally increased (from 1% to 2%), the PTT decreased (from 44.4 °C down to 22.3 °C). The effective control of the phase transition temperature is crucial for the material's application in the field of adaptive thermal camouflage.