Self-Template Synthesis of Nanoporous VO₂-Based Films: Localized Surface Plasmon Resonance and Enhanced Optical Performance for Solar Glazing Application

Abstract

Poly(tetrafluoroethylene) (Teflon) has been selected as the self-template structural material in the preparation of VO2 films using a reactive magnetron sputtering method and post-annealing process. VO2 films with spontaneous random nanoporous structures growing on quartz glasses have been deliberately established via bottom-up processing through this novel and facile approach. The nanoporous VO2 films exhibit an excellent optical performance based on the localized surface plasmon resonance, with ultrahigh luminous transmittance (Tlum-L) up to 78.0% and the promoted solar modulation ability (ΔTsol) of 14.1%. Meanwhile, the ingenious microstructure of the film provides an antireflection function from multiple perspectives on visible light and indicates the potential of the windshield on vehicles for smart solar modulation. The nanoporous films expand the practical application of thermochromic VO2 to a fire-new field, breaking the optical performance envelope of the single-layer dense VO2 film away, and offering a universal method to prepare homogeneous nanoporous structures for thin films.