In the time it takes to blink, octopus and cuttlefish can seemingly disappear into their underwater environment by changing both the color and texture of their skin.
In the time it takes to blink, octopus and cuttlefish can seemingly disappear into their underwater environment by changing both the color and texture of their skin. Replicating these dual camouflage tactics in synthetic materials, however, has long stumped engineers.
Stanford researchers have begun to crack the code, developing a programmable polymer film that can rapidly swell into different colors and textures. Led by members of the Geballe Laboratory for Advanced Materials, the team published its findings in Nature on Jan. 7, describing the cuttlefish-inspired “photonic skin” and its potential to reshape approaches to camouflage, robotics and display technology.
“Nature has so many incredible sneaky things that it does that you would not anticipate until you look closely,” said Nicholas Melosh, a professor of materials science and engineering and senior author of the paper.
To create films with controllable texture, the researchers used electron beam lithography, firing beams of electrons at the polymer PEDOT:PSS to encode patterns and dictate its swelling behavior. When placed in water, the polymer swells into the programmed topography, forming features such as bumps and waves; in isopropyl alcohol, the polymer flattens back to its original state, making the process fully reversible.
Read More: Stanford University
