Optically Patterned Surface

Responsive Materials Inspired by Nature

Researcher

Alyssa Terry

Description and Motivation

Engineering structurally colored materials that mimic biological color generation and are structurally responsive is critical for developing materials for camouflage applications. By mimicking light-structure mechanisms used to generate structural colors in many butterflies and reptiles, we hope to design a material capable of changing its surface color in response to the surrounding environment. There are two ways of creating structural color, incoherent light scattering and coherent light scattering. To date, attempts to produce structurally colored materials have employed mechanisms of coherent light which is not responsive to the environment. The approach taken here is novel. The approach employs mechanisms of incoherent light scattering, whereby light is reflected off particles at a wavelength approximating the particle’s diameter. The goal of this project was to create a micro-patterned surface of gold nanoparticles on a functionalized glass slide, comparing two methods of surface patterning (stamping and microfluidics). Fourier transform infrared spectrometry and contact angle analysis were used to determine the effectiveness of the procedure used to functionalize the surface. Confocal and electron microscopies were used to characterize the surface pattern. Once controlled patterning has been optimized, future efforts will focus on environmentally responsive structural color and color pattern change.