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Researchers at Nagoya University have developed a composite material that can mimic the vibrant color changes of chameleons. The material contains crystals and dyes that can be manipulated to change colors and patterns when they are exposed to visible or ultraviolet light.
Many animals such as chameleons and frogs can change color in response to changes in their environment. While the experts have studied this phenomenon extensively, it has not yet been sufficiently well interpreted to be translated into artificial applications.
"It's an exciting step in this field of study, as we are increasingly able to adapt the color change mechanisms that some animals use for artificial devices," he said. the author Miki Sakai.
"If these color-changing artificial materials can match or surpass the dynamic displays that some animals such as octopuses and frogs do, it could have some interesting applications in the development of new display technologies."
Inspired by the elaborate color transformations that take place in the skin cells of some frogs, the team has staged their new material with components that have unique responsibilities.
Dyes, for example, provide a color that can be adjusted by mixing them to different degrees. In addition, some dyes change color when exposed to light.
Spherical crystals are also incorporated into the material. Rather than directly influencing color, crystals have microscopic structures that interfere with light.
Finally, a black pigment and different background colors are integrated into the system to change the colors displayed by the other components of the material.
"We looked at the influences of the different components of the system, such as changing the size of the crystals, going from white to black, or by exposing them to visible or ultraviolet light," said the co-author of the report. Yukikazu Takeoka study.
"We found that these changes resulted in the display of different colors across the material, resembling how some organisms may change color in response to various factors in their environment.
The research is published in the journal Small.
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By Chrissy Sexton, Earth.com Staff Writer
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