Thermally adaptive textile inspired by morpho butterfly for all-season comfort and visible aesthetics
The longstanding challenge of transitioning from static, appearance-limited passive daytime radiative cooling (PDRC) materials to systems that are both dynamically adaptive and aesthetically versatile in personal thermal management stems from the inherent compromise between color saturation and cooling power. Inspired by the Morpho butterfly, which decouples structural color from thermal function, we introduce a modular adaptive textile that dissolves this conflict. A dynamic thermochromic membrane autonomously switches solar reflectance from 0.6 (heating state) to 0.9 (cooling state), while an APC layer supplies angle-independent, high-saturation structural color independent of the thermal state and fully replaceable, enabling on-demand color rewriting. Consequently, outdoor tests show 5-7 °C surface-temperature reduction versus commercial colored fabrics under hot conditions, with no compromise in solar-heating performance under cold conditions. Complemented by hydrophobicity and breathability, this color-reconfigurable, energy-free approach offers a general pathway toward aesthetic and adaptive thermal comfort.