Prof Papakonstantinou's study on self-adaptive thermoregulation published in Nature Communications

In an exciting advancement for sustainable energy, Prof Ioannis Papakonstantinou and his research team have developed a novel infrared thermochromic antenna composite that mimics nature’s self-regulating thermal mechanisms.

This cutting-edge technology leverages non-spherical antennas made from vanadium dioxide to achieve a remarkable 200-fold increase in thermal absorption as temperatures rise. Embedded within polymer films or applied through spray techniques, these antennas create materials capable of dynamically adjusting to environmental temperature changes.

This research represents the first successful use of antenna technology for self-adaptive thermoregulation, marking a significant step forward in renewable energy and thermal management. With scalable, cost-effective, and versatile applications, these thermoregulation composites could be applied across diverse sectors, including radiative cooling, heat-sensing, and thermal camouflage.

Prof Papakonstantinou’s work, described as a potential "missing piece in the renewables puzzle," opens up new possibilities for decarbonising heating and cooling processes—a transformative step in the journey toward sustainable energy solutions.

The paper entitled Infrared thermochromic antenna composite for self-adaptive thermoregulation was written by Francisco V. Ramirez-Cuevas, Kargal L. Gurunatha, Lingxi Li, Usama Zulfiqar, Sanjayan Sathasivam, Manish K. Tiwari, Ivan P. Parkin and Prof Prof Ioannis Papakonstantinou.

Links

• Read the paper

• Prof Papakonstantinou’s research profile