A Chameleon-Inspired Smart Skin Changes Color in the Sun
September 11, 2019 | American Chemical SocietyEstimated reading time: 1 minute
Some creatures, such as chameleons and neon tetra fish, can alter their colors to camouflage themselves, attract a mate or intimidate predators. Scientists have tried to replicate these abilities to make artificial "smart skins," but so far the materials haven't been robust. Now, researchers reporting in ACS Nano have taken a page from the chameleon's playbook to develop a flexible smart skin that changes its color in response to heat and sunlight.
The hues of chameleon skin rely not on dyes or pigments as most colors do, but instead on arrays of tiny structures known as photonic crystals. Light reflects from these microscopic surfaces and interferes with other beams of reflected light, producing a color. The hue changes when the distance between photonic crystals varies—for example, when a chameleon tenses or relaxes its skin. To mimic these natural abilities, scientists have embedded photonic crystals in flexible materials, such as hydrogels, and changed their colors by contracting or expanding the material like an accordion. However, these large fluctuations in size can strain the materials and cause them to buckle. Khalid Salaita and colleagues wanted to take a closer look at chameleon skin and use what they learned to design a strain-accommodating smart skin.
By watching time-lapse images of chameleon skin, the researchers noticed that only a small fraction of skin cells actually contain photonic crystal arrays, while the rest are colorless. The team reasoned that the colorless cells might help accommodate the strain when the photonic crystals contract and expand. Inspired by this observation, the researchers patterned arrays of photonic crystals in a hydrogel and then embedded these arrays in a second, non-color-changing hydrogel that acted as a supporting layer. Upon heating, the resulting material changed color but remained the same size. The smart skin also altered its hue in response to natural sunlight, similar to how a tetra fish does. The new material could someday find applications in camouflage, signaling and anti-counterfeiting, the researchers say.
Suggested Items
Groundbreaking Ceremony Marks the Beginning of a New Era for Newccess Industrial; The Construction of the MINGXIN Building
04/12/2024 | Newccess IndustrialOn a clear and sunny day in March, the groundbreaking ceremony for the MINGXIN Building took place in Shenzhen, China. This moment marked the official commencement of construction for a project that will reshape the semiconductor materials industry.
The Need for a Holistic Global Sustainability Standard
04/10/2024 | Michael Ford, Aegis SoftwareNo one can deny that the resources of our fragile planet are finite. The environment seems like a third party, subject to constant degradation. We’re acutely aware of the effects of pollution on our climate, and despite our “throw-away” culture, recycling and recovery of materials has remained relatively expensive, even as we use more energy just to survive.
Altus Group Celebrates 30 Years of Innovation with Scienscope
04/08/2024 | Altus GroupAltus Group, a prominent distributor of capital equipment within the electronics industry across the UK and Ireland, is pleased to commemorate the 30th anniversary of Scienscope International, a leading supplier of advanced inspection solutions.
iNEMI Publishes Four Roadmap Topics
04/04/2024 | iNEMIThe International Electronics Manufacturing Initiative (iNEMI) announces the availability of the first roadmap topics in the new iNEMI Roadmap format. Printed circuit boards, sustainable electronics, smart manufacturing, and mmWave materials and test are now available online.
Insulectro’s 'Storekeepers' Extend Their Welcome to Technology Village at IPC APEX EXPO
04/03/2024 | InsulectroInsulectro, the largest distributor of materials for use in the manufacture of PCBs and printed electronics, welcomes attendees to its TECHNOLOGY VILLAGE during this year’s IPC APEX EXPO at the Anaheim Convention Center, April 9-11, 2024.