Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage

Wang, Yichen; Reng, Xiujuan; Wang, Dong; Liu, Haifeng; Wu, Yu

doi:10.3390/nano15120890

This is an early access version, the complete PDF, HTML, and XML versions will be available soon.

Open AccessArticle

Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage

by

Yichen Wang

,

Xiujuan Reng

,

Dong Wang

,

Haifeng Liu

and

Yu Wu

^*

Chemical Defense Institute, Academy of Military Sciences, Beijing 102205, China

^*

Author to whom correspondence should be addressed.

Nanomaterials 2025, 15(12), 890; https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120890 (registering DOI)

Submission received: 24 April 2025 / Revised: 3 June 2025 / Accepted: 4 June 2025 / Published: 9 June 2025

(This article belongs to the Section Synthesis, Interfaces and Nanostructures)

Download Versions Notes

Abstract

We explored anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) stealth materials combining low infrared emissivity and visible structural coloration through multi-parameter modulation. Using DC ion gold sputtering and UHV magnetron chromium sputtering, we successfully prepared an AAO stealth material with high-saturation visible structural coloration and low infrared emissivity (ε < 0.17). Quantitative evaluation based on the CIE Lab color difference model indicated that the gold-coated samples had high matching accuracy with PANTONE standard colors ( \( Δ𝐸_{𝑎𝑏}^∗ \) < 1.6). The chromium-coated samples had slightly lower matching accuracy ( \( Δ𝐸_{𝑎𝑏}^∗ \) < 3.0), but still displayed rich coloration, with color difference within human-perceptible tolerance limits.

Keywords: AAO; visible infrared stealth; low color difference matching; sputter coating

Share and Cite

MDPI and ACS Style

Wang, Y.; Reng, X.; Wang, D.; Liu, H.; Wu, Y. Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage. Nanomaterials 2025, 15, 890. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120890

AMA Style

Wang Y, Reng X, Wang D, Liu H, Wu Y. Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage. Nanomaterials. 2025; 15(12):890. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120890

Chicago/Turabian Style

Wang, Yichen, Xiujuan Reng, Dong Wang, Haifeng Liu, and Yu Wu. 2025. "Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage" Nanomaterials 15, no. 12: 890. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120890

APA Style

Wang, Y., Reng, X., Wang, D., Liu, H., & Wu, Y. (2025). Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage. Nanomaterials, 15(12), 890. https://doi.org/10.3390/nano15120890

Note that from the first issue of 2016, this journal uses article numbers instead of page numbers. See further details here.

Article Metrics

Article metric data becomes available approximately 24 hours after publication online.

Article Menu

Minimizing Color Difference in AAO-Based Coatings for Urban Camouflage

Abstract

Share and Cite

Article Metrics

Further Information

Guidelines

MDPI Initiatives

Follow MDPI