VO2-based temperature-adaptive radiative materials towards real-world applications: A review

The escalating challenges of global warming have created unprecedented demand for sustainable cooling solutions. Among these, vanadium dioxide (VO2)-based materials have emerged as promising candidates for energy-efficient thermal management. The reversible insulator-to-metal transition between monoclinic VO2(M1) and rutile VO2(R) phases at the phase transition temperature (Tc) triggers abrupt optical switching, enabling dynamic radiative regulation. However, their practical applications are hindered by a fixed Tc and limited spectral modulation capabilities. This review systematically outlines recent advancements in optimizing the thermochromic performance of VO2 through elemental doping strategies and micro/nano-structural engineering. These enhanced VO2-based materials exhibit superior performance advantages in practical applications, including smart windows, spacecraft thermal management, and infrared stealth. Nevertheless, most studies focus on single-performance metrics while neglecting multidimensional challenges in real-world applications, such as environmental durability, scalable fabrication, and cost-effectiveness. This review critically analyzes current bottlenecks in the performance-stability-cost balance dilemma to guide the transition from laboratory breakthroughs towards sustainable, large-scale applications. Furthermore, interdisciplinary opportunities for VO2-based temperature-adaptive radiative materials are envisioned, given the unique response characteristics of VO2, further expanding their potential from adaptive building and space thermal control to sustainable personal thermal management, redefining their role in next-generation sustainable thermal management technologies.