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A Tunable Hydrophilic-Hydrophobic, Stimulus Responsive, and Robust Iridescent Structural Color Bionic Film with
Huanghuang Chen1, Xufang Zhang1, Tianchi Zhou2
1State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, College of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai, 201620, P. R. China.
Small (Weinheim an Der Bergstrasse, Germany)
|May 8, 2024
Summary
Researchers developed a novel bionic flexible film using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) that exhibits tunable structural color and stimulus-responsive properties. This bio-inspired material offers potential for advanced smart skin and optical devices.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Biomimetics
Background:
- Developing vivid bionic structural color and intelligent stimulus-responsive interfaces from nanomaterials for smart skin and optical devices presents significant challenges.
- Bio-inspired approaches are crucial for creating advanced functional materials that mimic natural systems.
Purpose of the Study:
- To design and fabricate a bionic flexible film with a chiral nanointerface and tunable hydrophilic-hydrophobic properties.
- To explore the potential of ultrasonic energy perturbation and cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) in creating advanced bionic materials.
Main Methods:
- Fabrication of a bionic flexible film using cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs) and a smart ionic liquid molecule.
- Utilizing ultrasonic energy perturbation strategy and covalent cross-linking to tune the film's properties.
- Constructing an intelligent nanointerface via supramolecular assembly.
Main Results:
- The bionic flexible film exhibits tunable hydrophilic-hydrophobic properties, stimulus responsiveness, and robust iridescent structural color.
- Ultrasonic energy perturbation effectively modulates the reflective wavelength and helical pitch of the film.
- The film demonstrates excellent robustness, elasticity, and flexibility due to covalent cross-linking.
Conclusions:
- The developed chiral nanointerface enables tunable structural color through surface charge modulation of CNC photonic crystals.
- The bionic flexible film possesses intelligent hydrophilic and hydrophobic stimulus-response capabilities.
- Potential applications include smart skin, optical devices, robotics, anti-counterfeiting, displays, and stealth materials.
