Dual-Salt Hydrogel Electrolyte for a Robust Zn-Ion Electrochromic Device toward Dynamic Infrared Regulation

The rapid advancement of infrared (IR) detection technology makes targets with temperature differences easily detectable, rendering dynamic IR camouflage an urgent need for next-generation camouflage and thermal management. Electrochromic technology is promising but limited by complex structures, single zinc-ion electrolytes, poor stability, and a slow response times. This study proposes a synergistic strategy of structural simplification and dual zinc-salt blending: integrating an ion storage layer and counter electrode into a bifunctional electrode to form a four-layer quasi-sandwich structure, and constructing a dual-salt hydrogel electrolyte with zinc sulfate (ZSO) and zinc perchlorate (ZClO). Experimental results indicate that the device has an infrared emissivity regulation range of Δε >0.3, with performance retention exceeding 80% after 1000 cycles, and coloration/bleaching times of 6.9/10.5 s. This work provides a new paradigm for practical devices and offers references for solving common bottlenecks in electrochemical devices.