Bioinspired Dynamic Camouflage from Colloidal Nanocrystals Embedded Electrochromics

• DOI: 10.1021/acs.nanolett.1c01419
• Publication Date: 2021-05-14T21:30:26Z
• Authors: Ke Chen; Jiazhi He; Di Zhang; Liyan You; Xuefei Li; Haiyan Wang; Jianguo Mei
• Keywords: Chemical Sciences not elsewhere classified; Physiology; Polymers; electrochromic polymers; Color; 535; skin-like optoelectronic device; 01 natural sciences; Electrolytes; Sociology; Space Science; Photons; Ecology; transmissive photonic nanocrystals; photonic colloid nanocrystals; Closterocerus coffeellae exhibit; Bioinspired Dynamic Camouflage; ion storage materials; 0104 chemical sciences; Medicine; Nanoparticles; Physical Sciences not elsewhere classified; appearance; Neuroscience; Biotechnology; Developmental Biology; Biological Sciences not elsewhere classified

Camouflage is often seen in animals, and it presents in both passive and active forms. For instance, the wings of Closterocerus coffeellae exhibit distinct appearances against different backgrounds, while the chameleon actively changes its skin colors to morph into the environment. Herein, we report an artificial skin-like optoelectronic device that enables actively changing appearances and passively morphing into the environment by manipulating light-matter interactions with electrochromic polymers and photonic colloid nanocrystals. To construct the new electrochromic device, highly reflective, yet transmissive photonic nanocrystals are introduced into the gel electrolyte and sandwiched between the layers of electrochromic polymers and ion storage materials. Through voltage-controlled color switching of electrochromic polymers from colored state to bleached state, the degree of light absorbance, transmittance, and reflectance can be finely balanced and precisely modulated with the device. A broad synthesized color gamut and angle-dependent visual effects can be realized on this electronic skin-like device.