Encapsulation Layer Research Articles

Design and performance study of narrowband polarized colloidal quantum dots photodetector

Abstract Colloidal quantum dot-based (CQD) photodetectors have shown exceptional potential for low-cost, room-temperature broadband imaging. However, the isotropic optical properties of the CQD absorber hinder the capability for multi-dimensional photodetection, such as polarization. Here, we design and theoretically study a CQD photodetector with an encapsulation layer and metal grating layer, which can achieve narrowband polarization sensitivity with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 230 nm at a wavelength of 2 μm. We first investigate the effect of the geometric parameters of the architecture. Moreover, we examine the broadband polarized optical properties and analyze the corresponding mechanisms. A large linear polarization ratio of 66 is obtained at an illuminated light wavelength of 2 μm. These results contribute to offering a promising design for constructing narrowband polarized CQD photodetectors, particularly for quantum information processing in the realms of quantum communication and quantum cryptography.

Kirkendall effect enhanced sustained-release Fe-C composites for long-term reductive dechlorination of trichloroethylene: Interfacial reactions and slow-release degradation

Rebounding and lagging during the process of remediating contaminated sites are challenging problems. A potential solution is developing slow-release materials that could assist in the long-term remediation of contaminated sites. This study synthesised a slow-release Fe-C composite (CSBC-nZVI@β-CD), which exhibits a synergistic effect of encapsulated layers and nanocracks, using a liquid-phase reduction method. Furthermore, the reduction and dechlorination mechanism of trichloroethene (TCE) was systematically investigated. The introduction of β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) intensified the Kirkendall effect, forming nano zero-valent iron (nZVI) with abundant radial nanocracks and a litchi-like appearance on the biochar surface. Additionally, β-CD created an encapsulation layer measuring 5–7 nm on the surface of nZVI, improving its electron transport capacity and hydrophobic properties. The CSBC-nZVI@β-CD nanocomposite successfully removed 99 % of TCE in solution within 2 h and accomplished a degradation efficiency of 98.9 % within 15 d. The synergistic effect of the β-CD encapsulating layer and nanocracks facilitated the reactivity and electron-retarding capacity, resulting in a broad pH tolerance and anti-interference ability. Density-functional theory (DFT) calculations and experimental methods were used to study the mechanism of TCE reduction dechlorination; the unique structure of β-CD tended to bind with Fe as well as adsorb TCE, thereby facilitating electron transfer and the enrichment of TCE at the reaction interface. In addition, the sustained-release Fe-C composites reduced the bonding energy required during the TCE degradation reaction and promoted the complete reaction of the product. Overall, CSBC-nZVI@β-CD exhibited significant potential for the long-term remediation of groundwater.

Solution‐Processed Multifunctional Thin‐Film Encapsulation of Perovskite Thin Films and Devices

Herein, the effect of multicomponent composite encapsulation on the stability of perovskite thin films and perovskite solar cells, as well as lead leakage upon water immersion, is investigated. The encapsulation is simple and low cost since it is entirely deposited by solution processed techniques in the ambient atmosphere. It consists of a spray‐coated composite layer sandwiched between two spin‐coated layers. The composite layer contains hygroscopic nanomaterials, oxygen scavengers, and lead adsorbing nanomaterials, which enables reduced lead leakage and improved stability of encapsulated perovskite during storage in ambient, immersion in water, as well as illumination in dry air. The encapsulation layers show high transmittance and did not have a significant effect on the short‐circuit current density and open‐circuit voltage despite the deposition of encapsulation in ambient air. The encapsulated devices retain 80% of their initial performance after 4 h of immersion in water.

Cross-Linkable Fullerene Electron Transport Layer with Internal Encapsulation Capability for Efficient and Stable Inverted Perovskite Solar Cells.

A stable and compact fullerene electron transport layer (ETL) is crucial for high-performance inverted perovskite solar cells (PSCs). However, traditional fullerene-based ETLs like C60 and PCBM are prone to aggregate under operational conditions, a challenge recently recognized by academic and industrial researchers. Here, we designed and synthesized a novel cross-linkable fullerene molecule, bis((3-methyloxetan-3-yl)methyl) malonate-C60 monoadduct (BCM), for use as an ETL in PSCs. Upon a low-temperature annealing at 100 °C, BCM undergoes in-situ cross-linking to form a robust cross-linked BCM (CBCM) film, which demonstrates excellent electron mobility and a suitable band structure for efficient PSCs. Our results show that PSCs incorporating CBCM-based ETL achieve an impressive efficiency of 25.89% (certified: 25.36%), significantly surpassing the 23.25% efficiency of PCBM-based devices. The intramolecular covalent interactions within CBCM films effectively prevent aggregation and enhance film compactness, creating an internal encapsulation layer that mitigates the decomposition and ion migration of perovskite components. Consequently, CBCM-based PSCs show exceptional stability, maintaining 97.8% of their initial efficiency after 1000 hours of maximum power point tracking, compared to only 78.6% retention in PCBM-based devices after less than 820 hours.

Minimizing perovskite solar cells' lead leakage with a cost‐effective and 160 days stable encapsulant

AbstractPerovskite solar cells' (PSCs) potential lead leakage seriously threatens ecosystems and human health, significantly hindering their commercialization. In this paper, we develope a cost‐effective (less than 2$/m2) and long‐term stable SSP film by mixing sulfonated SiO2 with polyvinyl alcohol (PVA). Combined with polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) forming the encapsulation layer, it can effectively prevent over 99% of lead leakage under simulated adverse weather conditions with different structures of devices (p‐i‐n and n‐i‐p) and modules. Even after 160 days of air storage, the film maintains excellent lead sequestration efficiency. Additionally, it has no negative impact on the performance and stability. This work offers a practical and economical strategy to mitigate the toxicity of perovskite photovoltaic devices, thereby promoting their commercialization.image

Experimental study on the macroscopic and microscopic properties of cement paste backfill after treatment with carbon dioxide carbonize filling slurries during the mixing process

Introducing CO2 during the mixing process of filling slurry for wet carbonation enables simultaneous carbonation and hydration reactions of the carbonated filling slurry (CSL). This study evaluates the microstructural evolution and strength development of carbonated cemented paste backfill (CCPB) under different carbonation times, and discusses the carbonation products and carbon sequestration of CCPB. The results reveal that introducing 99% pure CO2 at a flow rate of 1 L/min for 10 min into the filling slurry in a non-sealed container effectively optimizes the microscopic pore structure and mechanical properties of CCPB, achieving a carbon sequestration rate of 6.42%. Short-term carbonation leads to a continuous decrease in the T2 relaxation signal of CSL in the early hydration stage, enhancing pore structure by converting secondary pores to micropores. The main carbonation product is calcite crystalline CaCO3, which forms a dense carbonation layer on the surface of the tailings particles. However, prolonged carbonation results in the formation of microscopic pore encapsulation layer, hindering further CO2 diffusion, reducing carbonation efficiency, and deteriorating the mechanical properties of CCPB. With a carbonation time of 10 min, the UCS and EM of CCPB with different cement-to-tailings ratios show significant improvement, and the specimens exhibit lower fragmentation and fewer secondary cracks, maintaining better integrity after failure. In conclusion, the wet carbonation of filling slurry not only enhances the strength of the filling material but also achieves the reutilization of gaseous and solid wastes through carbon sequestration filling method, providing an efficient and eco-friendly solution for mine backfilling.

Multi-Chambered Core/Shell Supraparticles for Real-Time, Full-Time Diagnosis and Treatment Integration of Tumors.

To a certain extent, theranostic nanoplatforms promote tumor treatment efficiency. However, timely monitoring of the critical stages and signal sustainability of the entire process is challenging. In this study, multi-chambered core/shell magnetic nanoparticles (MC-MNPs) as drug and imaging agent multi-loaded nanocarriers with a synergistic release function are reported. Supraparticles with stable chambers are formed by the supercooling self-assembly of several core/shell magnetic nanoparticles composed of amphiphilic copolymers as the core and hydrophilic magnetic iron oxide nanoparticles as the shell. Desalinized doxorubicin and coumarin 6 are stored in different cavities of nanocarriers, and chitosan is used as an outer encapsulation layer. Based on their construction properties, MC-MNPs can exhibit gradient-degraded and steady-released controllability in the tumor environment. Furthermore, real-time accumulation situations and full-time diagnostic signals of nanocarriers are thoroughly demonstrated using fluorescence imaging and T2-weighted magnetic resonance imaging before and after magnetic hyperthermia in targeted tumors under an alternating magnetic field. Thus, MC-MNPs as theranostic nanocarriers exhibit great potential for the timely monitoring and full-time guidance of tumor treatment.

Strategic approaches to enhance efficiency and commercial feasibility of copper-based surface plasmon resonance sensing

Despite enormous progress in the field of surface plasmon resonance (SPR) imaging sensor technology in the past three decades, noble metals like Au and Ag, despite their drawbacks, continue to be the metals of choice for plasmonic sensing layers. The conventional architecture of the SPR sensor based on gold/silver and glass prism hinders scaling, portability, and industrial manufacturing. In this contribution, we present a novel architecture of SPR sensor using copper on polycarbonate prism as a cost-effective, scalable, and mass-producible alternative. Various optimization techniques, such as interface layer, protective encapsulation, and 2D affinity layer are explored to address the challenges related to the practical application of copper in a plasmonic sensor. Our results show that optimized architectures of SPR sensor based on copper has a sensitivity of 235.01°/RIU. From a quantitative analysis of the interrelationships among various performance parameters, we have derived a comprehensive sensing parameter that integrates signal quality and sensitivity. The proposed architecture of the copper based SPR sensor can lead to inexpensive, compact, and handy probes that do not sacrifice accuracy or reliability.

Active illumination mode with checkerboard pattern in focus variation microscopy: Analysis and application

Optical measurement methods for surface topography offer the advantages of high accuracy, rapid measurement, and non-destructiveness. Each method has its own suitable application scenarios. Among them, focus variation microscopy is extensively employed in precision manufacturing, aerospace, and medical industries due to its ability to measure rough and large slopes surfaces. However, since the measurement depends on local grayscale differences between focused and blurred images, it cannot measure surfaces with low reflectivity or insufficient texture information. In this work, we propose an active illumination mode for focus variation method that utilizes a digital micromirror device (DMD) to generate a checkerboard pattern. This method introduces additional texture information, resulting in a usable local gradient of image grayscale. Additionally, we analyze the selection criteria for the checkerboard pattern parameters, including the period and light-dark ratio. Furthermore, measurements of two standard steps with different heights demonstrate that the measurement repeatability of the proposed method can reach the nanometer level, rendering it suitable for high-precision measurements. More importantly, the measurement noise results indicate significantly superior performance of active illumination mode compared to the uniform illumination mode. Finally, we reconstruct the surface topography of the microchannels in a microfluidic chip through the encapsulation layer, demonstrating the feasibility of the proposed method.

Extending The Calendar Life of Fiber Lithium-Ion Batteries to 200 Days with Ultra-High Barrier Polymer Tubes.

Scalable fiber lithium-ion batteries (FLIBs) have garnered significant attention due to huge potential applications in wearable technology. However, their widespread applications have been limited by inadequate cycle and calendar life, primarily due to the high permeability of the encapsulation layer to water vapor in ambient air. To address this challenge, an ultra-high barrier composite tube is developed by blending polytrifluorochloroethylene (PCTFE) with organically modified montmorillonite (OMMT) for the continuous packaging of FLIBs. Due to the high crystallinity (≈40.21%) and small free volume (103.443 Å3), the PCTFE tube exhibited a low water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) of 0.123 mgday-1pkg-1. Furthermore, through the melt extrusion, OMMT with its plate-like morphology are fully exfoliated and dispersed within the PCTFE matrix. This created more complex pathways for water, increasing the diffusion path length and thereby reducing WVTR to 0.006 mgday-1pkg-1. This innovation enabled an ultra-long calendar life of 200 days and cycle life of 870 cycles for FLIBs, with over 80% capacity retention in ambient air. Additionally, 2%OMMT-PCTFE-FLIBs exhibited excellent flexibility, retaining an impressive 85.31% capacity after 10000 bending cycles. This research presents a simple yet effective approach to enhance the lifetime and practicality of FLIBs through building a high-performance polymer-based encapsulation layer.

Enhancing the reliability of InP-based QD color conversion layer through a uniform organic encapsulation layer via inkjet printing

Quantum dot (QD) as a color conversion layer (CCL) is gaining increasing attention for use in next generation displays. However, QD CCL, especially those based on indium phosphide (InP) materials, are vulnerable to oxygen and moisture. Accordingly, even in CCL technology, encapsulation is essential to mitigate performance reduction due to the degradation of color conversion efficiency (CCE). Herein, we employed only acrylic-based resin to produce a uniform encapsulation layer on a CCL, enhancing the CCE reliability of the QD CCL under ambient conditions. To print a uniform encapsulation layer, we confirmed the significance of the minimized surface energy differences on glass, bank, and QD film through O2 plasma treatment. We also investigated coating characteristics through adjustment of the drop spacing to analyze the reliability of the CCL. Compared to the CCL without an encapsulation layer, the CCE only showed a decrease of 1.96 % at green and 3.6 % at red light, after 168 h. The T95 (time to 95 % of the initial luminance) was improved from 5.25 h to 75.02 h by applying the encapsulation layer. As a result, we enhanced the stability of the InP-based QD CCL by printing only an organic encapsulation layer using the inkjet printing process.

Solid phase epitaxy of SrRuO3 encapsulated by SrTiO3 membranes

Solid phase epitaxy (SPE) has been widely employed for various thin-film materials, making it valuable for industrial applications due to its scalability. In complex oxides, SPE has been limited to a few materials because of the challenges in maintaining stoichiometric control during growth, particularly when volatile phases are present at high temperatures. Here, we investigate the impact of encapsulation layers on the SPE of complex oxides, using SrRuO3 (SRO) as a model system. An amorphous SRO layer was deposited on a SrTiO3 (STO) substrate, followed by the transfer of a single-crystalline STO membrane as an encapsulation layer in order to suppress the evaporation of volatile species (RuO2) during the SPE process. Whereas both encapsulated and unencapsulated SRO layers were successfully crystallized, the unencapsulated films suffered a substantial loss of Ru ions—exceeding 20%—compared to their encapsulated counterparts. This loss of Ru ions led to a loss of metallicity in the unencapsulated SRO layers, whereas the encapsulated layers retained their metallic ferromagnetic properties. This study demonstrates that the encapsulation provided by oxide membranes effectively suppresses stoichiometric loss during SPE, presenting a new strategy in stabilizing a broader class of functional oxides as epitaxial thin films.

Constrained patterning of orientated metal chalcogenide nanowires and their growth mechanism

One-dimensional metallic transition-metal chalcogenide nanowires (TMC-NWs) hold promise for interconnecting devices built on two-dimensional (2D) transition-metal dichalcogenides, but only isotropic growth has so far been demonstrated. Here we show the direct patterning of highly oriented Mo6Te6 NWs in 2D molybdenum ditelluride (MoTe2) using graphite as confined encapsulation layers under external stimuli. The atomic structural transition is studied through in-situ electrical biasing the fabricated heterostructure in a scanning transmission electron microscope. Atomic resolution high-angle annular dark-field STEM images reveal that the conversion of Mo6Te6 NWs from MoTe2 occurs only along specific directions. Combined with first-principles calculations, we attribute the oriented growth to the local Joule-heating induced by electrical bias near the interface of the graphite-MoTe2 heterostructure and the confinement effect generated by graphite. Using the same strategy, we fabricate oriented NWs confined in graphite as lateral contact electrodes in the 2H-MoTe2 FET, achieving a low Schottky barrier of 11.5 meV, and low contact resistance of 43.7 Ω µm at the metal-NW interface. Our work introduces possible approaches to fabricate oriented NWs for interconnections in flexible 2D nanoelectronics through direct metal phase patterning.

A Low‐Permeability and Flexible Polymer Tube for Long‐Life Fiber Lithium‐Ion Batteries

AbstractFiber lithium‐ion batteries (FLIBs) hold great promise for powering wearable electronics. However, their practical application is hindered by limited cycle and calendar life, primarily due to the loss of active Li caused by water vapor permeation through the encapsulation layer. To address this challenge, a low‐permeability and high‐flexibility tetrafluoroethylene hexafluoropropylene copolymer (FEP) tube is presented to continuously encapsulate FLIBs by melting extrusion method. Owing to the inherent hydrophobicity of fluorine resins and appropriate crystallinity of the polymer matrix, FEP tubes exhibited significantly low vapor permeability, with a water vapor transmittance rate (WVTR) of 0.3 mg·day−1·pkg−1, 15 times lower than that of the nylon 12 tubes (4.6 mg·day−1·pkg−1). Leveraging the low permeability and elastic modulus of FEP tubes, FLIBs demonstrate a capacity retention of 80.05% after 180 cycles and exceptional flexibility with a capacity retention of 98.32% after 10 000 bending cycles, showcasing superior performance compared to the conventional polymer tubes (for example, the capacity of PP‐FLIBs declined by 20.68% after 30 cycles). This work presents a general and efficient strategy for continuously encapsulating FLIBs, effectively extending their cycle and calendar lifetime of FLIBs, thereby enhancing their practical viability for wearable electronic applications.

Wearable thermoelectric cooler encapsulated with low thermal conductivity filler and honeycomb structure for high cooling effect

Thermoelectric coolers (TEC) based on Peltier effect has been widely used in small scale cold storage because of its zero emission, and high efficiency, while wearable thermoelectric coolers (WTEC) for personal temperature management is garnered tremendous scientific attention. For out-of-plane structured WTEC using inorganic TE materials encapsuled in flexibility substrate, on the one hand, encapsulating materials are required to have low thermal conductivity, high reliability and high flexibility, and on the other hand, heat dissipation of devices is required to be lightweight, portable and efficient. For this reason, we propose a composite material synthesised from SiO2 aerogel, hollow glass beads (HGB) and polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) as a filler, which takes advantage of the low thermal conductivity of (0.094 W/mK) to increase the temperature difference in the encapsulation layer of the device, and moreover performs the fabrication of honeycomb holes, which further reduces the thermal conductivity of the encapsulation layer and at the same time brings a certain degree of compression resistance to the device. Radiative cooling (RC) films synthesised using hexagonal boron nitride (HBN) and PDMS for lowering the temperature of the hot side in outdoor environments without additional energy consumption, providing heat dissipation at the hot side. Honeycomb wearable thermoelectric cooler (HWTEC) proposed in this work deliver high cooling temperature difference of 9.1 °C and 6.5 °C indoor and outdoor through human wear. Our work represents an important step in the development of flexible TE devices and is believed to have promising future applications in personal thermal management, e-skin and smart textiles.

Innovations in Tactile Sensing: Microstructural Designs for Superior Flexible Sensor Performance

AbstractTactile sensors have garnered considerable interest for their capacity to detect and quantify tactile information. The incorporation of microstructural designs into flexible tactile sensors has emerged as a potent strategy to augment their sensitivity to pressure variations, thereby enhancing their linearity, response spectrum, and mechanical robustness. This review underscores the imperative for progress in microstructured flexible tactile sensors. Subsequently, the discourse transitions to the prevalent materials employed in the fabrication of sensor electrodes, encapsulation layers, and active sensing mediums, elucidating their merits and limitations. In‐depth discussions are devoted to tactile sensors adorned with microstructures, including but not limited to, micropyramids, microhemispheres, micropillars, microporous configurations, microcracks, topological interconnections, multilevel constructs, random roughness, biomimetic microstructures inspired by flora and fauna, accompanied by exemplar studies from each category. Moreover, the utility of flexible tactile sensors within the realm of intelligent environments is explicated, highlighting their application in the monitoring of physiological signals, the detection of sliding motions, and the discernment of surface textures. The review culminates in a critical examination of the paramount challenges and predicaments that must be surmounted to further the development and enhance the functional performance of tactile sensors, paving the way for their integration into advanced sensory systems.

Cellulose-Encapsulated Composite Electrolyte Design: Toward Chemically and Mechanically Enhanced Solid-Sodium Batteries.

Sulfide- and halide-based ceramic ionic conductors exhibit comparable ionic conductivity with liquid electrolytes and are candidates for high-energy- and high-power-density all-solid-state batteries. These materials, however, are inherently brittle, making them unfavorable for applications. Here, we report a mechanically enhanced composite Na+ conductor that contains 92.5 wt % of sodium thioantimonate (Na3SbS4, NSS) and 7.5 wt % of sodium carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC); the latter serves as the binder and an electrochemically inert encapsulation layer. The ceramic and binder constituents were integrated at the particle level, providing ceramic NSS-level Na+ conductivity in the NSS-CMC composite. The more than 5-fold decrease of electrolyte thickness obtained in NSS-CMC composite provided a 5-fold increase in Na+ conductance compared to NSS ceramic pellets. As a result of the CMC encapsulation, this NSS-CMC composite shows increased moisture resistivity and electrochemical stability, which significantly promotes the cycling performance of NSS-based solid-state batteries. This work demonstrates a well-controlled, orthogonal process of ceramic-rich, composite electrolyte processing: independent streams for ceramic particle formation along with binder encapsulation in a solvent-assisted environment. This work also provides insights into the interplay among the solvent, the polymeric binder, and the ceramic particles in composite electrolyte synthesis and implies the critical importance of identifying the appropriate solvent/binder system for precise control of this complicated process.

Van der Waals Encapsulation by Ultrathin Oxide for Air-Sensitive 2D Materials.

The ambient stability is one of the focal points for applications of 2D materials, especially for those well-known air-sensitive ones, such as black phosphorus (BP) and transitional metal telluride. Traditional methods of encapsulation, such as atomic layer deposition of oxides and heterogeneous integration of hexagonal boron nitride, can hardly avoid removal of encapsulation layer when the 2D materials are encapsulated for further device fabrication, which causes complexity and damage during the procedure. Here, a van der Waals encapsulation method that allows direct device fabrication without removal of encapsulation layer is introduced using Ga2O3 from liquid gallium. Taking advantage of the robust isolation ability against ambient environment of the dense native oxide of gallium, hundreds of times longer retention time of (opto)electronic properties of encapsulated BP and MoTe2 devices is realized than unencapsulated devices. Due to the ultrathin high-κ properties of Ga2O3, top-gated devices are directly fabricated with the encapsulation layer, simultaneously as a dielectric layer. This direct device fabrication is realized by selective etching of Ga2O3, leaving the encapsulated materials intact. Encapsulated 1T' MoTe2 exhibits high conductivity even after 150 days in ambient environment. This method is, therefore, highlighted as a promising and distinctive one compared with traditional passivation approaches.

Understanding the sensing performance alteration mechanism of a Yarn-based strain sensor after encapsulation and an effective encapsulation structural designs

Microcrack-based yarn strain sensors with non-uniform and rough structures offer high sensitivity and flexibility, making them promising for wearable electronics. However, their low mechanical endurance limits their usability. Encapsulating is a common method used to protect the conductive network and enhance environmental stability, but its impact on sensing performance is poorly understood. This work investigates the effects of thickness and tensile modulus of conformal encapsulation layer on the performance of double-threaded conductive yarns (CNT/DTY), especially focusing on the thickness variation coefficient of the conformal encapsulation layer. The results showed that the encapsulation layer affects the mechanical and electrical properties of yarn sensors. The permeation of Ecoflex transforms the conductive layer into Ecoflex/CNT composites, increasing the sensor’s initial electrical resistance. The encapsulation layer changes the rate of strain transfer from the substrate to the conductive layer, slowing strain localization. Increasing the thickness variation coefficient of the encapsulation layer improves the maximum strain range, linearity and repeatability, while decreasing the sensitivity and electromechanical hysteresis. An encapsulation layer with higher tensile modulus significantly reduces sensitivity, linearity and increases electromechanical hysteresis. Optimizing the encapsulation layer not only provides the sensors with robust mechanical support and protection but also enhance its sensing properties, including excellent water resistance. Moreover, encapsulated yarn sensors showed good potential in joint motion monitoring in water, gait analysis, and gesture recognition for wearable applications.

Geometrically Engineered Heating Arrays Enabled by Electric-Field-Driven 3D Printing for On-Demand Thermal Patterning

Arbitrary and high-precision thermal patterning has long been desired in the field of thermal functional materials. However, existing thermal patterning strategies have not been widely applied, either hampered by the difficulty in fabricating anisotropic metamaterials or limited by complex thermal manipulation. We propose an on-demand thermal patterning scheme that sandwiches geometrically engineered heating arrays between a substrate and an encapsulation layer to form composite structures and control the omnidirectional transfer of the heat flux generated by the heating arrays. These heating arrays are digitally assembled from multiple heater cells of varying widths and continuously printed using electric-field-driven 3D printing. A design strategy for thermal patterning with good uniformity within individual regions and high contrast between regions is proposed. The performance of the on-demand thermal patterning is verified via high-precision thermal printing. The proposed scheme provides a general and reproducible method for designing thermal functional materials, with potential applications in thermochromics, messaging, thermal camouflage, and illusions.