Smart surfaces that can dynamically respond to environmental stimuli have demonstrated great promise in wearable electronics and optical detectors. Herein, a photopatternable nanolayered polymeric film that can reversibly display and hide structural colors in the visible range in response to relative humidity (RH) changes is reported. This film is fabricated on a silicon substrate using layer‐by‐layer assembly of chitosan and photoreactive carboxymethyl cellulose‐azido derivative, and selectively crosslinked through UV irradiation from a photomask. Compared to crosslinked regions, un‐crosslinked ones swell more and result in a larger thickness at high RH; as a result, those two regions show distinguishable color differences. The correlation of displayed color with film thickness at various RHs is plotted in an International Commission on Illumination (CIE) chromaticity diagram, which is in good agreement with the results obtained from modeling based on the interference theory. It is demonstrated that the structural color patterns on the film can be hidden and displayed spontaneously by contact with humid air, including human breath. This humidity‐triggered color change is fast, of fine resolution, highly reversible, and compatible with most silicon‐based devices. This film is low‐cost, stable, and ready to be applied to large surface areas for potential applications in anticounterfeiting, humidity sensors, and optical color filters.
Living organisms ubiquitously display colors that adapt to environmental changes, relying on the soft layer of cells or proteins. Adoption of soft materials into an artificial adaptive color system has promoted the development of material systems for environmental and health monitoring, anti‐counterfeiting, and stealth technologies. Here, a hydrogel interferometer based on a single hydrogel thin film covalently bonded to a reflective substrate is reported as a simple and universal adaptive color platform. Similar to the cell or protein soft layer of color‐changing animals, the soft hydrogel layer rapidly changes its thickness in response to external stimuli, resulting in instant color change. Such interference colors provide a visual and quantifiable means of revealing rich environmental metrics. Computational model is established and captures the key features of hydrogel stimuli‐responsive swelling, which elucidates the mechanism and design principle for the broad‐based platform. The single material–based platform has advantages of remarkable color uniformity, fast response, high robustness, and facile fabrication. Its versatility is demonstrated by diverse applications: a volatile‐vapor sensor with highly accurate quantitative detection, a colorimetric sensor array for multianalyte recognition, breath‐controlled information encryption, and a colorimetric humidity indicator. Portable and easy‐to‐use sensing systems are demonstrated with smartphone‐based colorimetric analysis.
more » « less- NSF-PAR ID:
- 10056382
- Publisher / Repository:
- Wiley Blackwell (John Wiley & Sons)
- Date Published:
- Journal Name:
- Advanced Materials
- Volume:
- 30
- Issue:
- 21
- ISSN:
- 0935-9648
- Format(s):
- Medium: X
- Sponsoring Org:
- National Science Foundation
More Like this
-
Photopatternable Nanolayered Polymeric Films with Fast Tunable Color Responses Triggered by Humiditymore » « less
Abstract -
more » « less
Abstract Research into new active materials for soft robots has generated promising new thermally responsive materials for functions such as variable stiffness, on‐demand shape change, and actuation. These new thermally responsive materials require a form of addressable thermal control that is compliance‐matched to its host system. In response to this need, this work presents stretchable, addressable heating silicone sheets that can control soft, thermally responsive materials. The sheets are created using layer‐by‐layer deposition of a bulk conductive elastomer that can be Joule heated, with embedded liquid–metal microchannels used as electrodes. This combination allows the bulk, addressed material to be stretched and twisted while in operation. Local, addressable heating is demonstrated in a silicone‐based composite that is capable of cyclic strains of up to 40%, while still self‐heating to over 100 °C. The heating sheets are demonstrated as a thermal control platform in both color changing and stretch‐and‐hold operations using all silicone‐based composites. Additionally, this platform is bonded to a variable‐stiffness polymer that, with its selective heating capability, enables folding at targeted locations.
-
more » « less
Abstract Shape morphing of stimuli‐responsive composite hydrogels has received considerable attention in different research fields. Although various multilayer structures with dissimilar materials are studied to achieve shape morphing, combining swellable hydrogel layers with non‐swellable layers results in issues with interface adhesion and structural integrity. In this study, single‐hydrogel‐based bilayer actuators comprising poly(
N ‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) matrices and graphene oxide (GO)–PNIPAM hinges are presented. Upon temperature rising, the PNIPAM hydrogel acts as the passive layer due to the formation of dense microstructures near the surface (i.e., the skin layer effect), whereas the GO‐PNIPAM hydrogel functions as the active layer, maintaining porous due to structural modification by the presence of GO. Under light exposure, the GO‐PNIPAM hinges experience selective heating due to the photothermal effect of GO. Consequently, the resulting bilayer structures exhibit programmable dual‐responsive 3D shape morphing. Additionally, the folding kinetics of these actuators can be adjusted based on the applied stimulus (temperature changes or light), as they are driven by different mechanisms, the skin layer, or photothermal effects, respectively. Furthermore, the hinge‐based bilayer structures demonstrate walking and steering locomotion by light exposure. This approach can lead to advances in soft robotics, biomimetic systems, and autonomous soft actuators in hydrogel‐based systems. -
more » « less
Abstract Nanostructured materials have enabled new ways of controlling the light–matter interaction, opening new routes for exciting applications, in display technologies and colorimetric sensing, among others. In particular, metallic nanoparticles permit the production of color structures out of colorless materials. These plasmonic structural colors are sensitive to the environment and thus offer an interesting platform for sensing. Here, a self‐assembly of aluminum nanoparticles in close proximity of a mirror is spaced by an ultrathin poly(
N ‐isopropylacrylamide) (PNIPAM) layer. Hybridizing the plasmonic system with the active polymer layer, a thermoresponsive gap‐plasmon architecture is formed that transduces changes in the temperature and relative humidity of the environment into color changes. By harnessing the environmentally induced structural changes of PNIPAM, it was estimated from the finite difference time domain simulation that the resonance can be tuned 7 nm per every 1 nm change in thickness, resulting in color variation. Importantly, these fully reversible changes can be used for reusable powerless humidity and temperature colorimetric sensing. Crucially if condensation on the structure happens, the polymer layer is deformed beyond recovery and the colors are washed away. We leverage this effect to produce tamper‐proof dew labels that a straightforward smartphone app can read by taking a picture. -
more » « less
Abstract Chameleons are masters of light, expertly changing their color, pattern, and reflectivity in response to their environment. Engineered materials that share this tunability can be transformative, enabling active camouflage, tunable holograms, and novel colorimetric medical sensors. While progress has been made in creating artificial chameleon skin, existing schemes often require external power, are not continuously tunable, and may prove too stiff or bulky for applications. Here, a chemically tunable, large‐area metamaterial is demonstrated that accesses a wide range of colors and refractive indices. An ordered monolayer of nanoresonators is fabricated, then its optical response is dynamically tuned by infiltrating its polymer substrate with solvents. The material shows a strong magnetic response with a dependence on resonator spacing that leads to a highly tunable effective permittivity, permeability, and refractive index spanning negative and positive values. The unity‐order index tuning exceeds that of traditional electro‐optic and photochromic materials and is robust to cycling, providing a path toward programmable optical elements and responsive light routing.
