VO₂(M)@SnO₂ core–shell nanoparticles: Improved chemical stability and thermochromic property rendered by SnO₂ shell

Vanadium dioxide (VO₂) has been extensively studied as a thermochromic material for smart windows. However, the poor oxidation stability of VO₂ hinders its practical applications. In this paper, to improve the oxidation stability of VO₂, the core–shell VO₂(M)@SnO₂ nanoparticles are synthesized by a solvothermal method. The chemical stability experiments indicate that the SnO₂ coating effectively protects VO₂ nanoparticles from acid corrosion and oxidation. Moreover, the core–shell structure is proved to enhance the near-infrared modulation ability (ΔT_NIR) without impairing the visible light transmittance by both experiments and calculations. The results suggest the promising application of VO₂(M)@SnO₂ nanoparticles in flexible smart windows and demonstrate that the inorganic optical coating is an effective way in enhancing durability and solar modulation ability of VO₂ nanoparticles.