Simple mass-production method of substrate-free powders for applications of the Morpho-colored materials

Akira Saito; Kosei Ishibashi; Megumi Akai-Kasaya; Yuji Kuwahara

doi:10.1117/12.2084517

27 March 2015 Simple mass-production method of substrate-free powders for applications of the Morpho-colored materials

Akira Saito, Kosei Ishibashi, Megumi Akai-Kasaya, Yuji Kuwahara

Proceedings Volume 9429, Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2015; 942912 (2015) https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2084517
Event: SPIE Smart Structures and Materials + Nondestructive Evaluation and Health Monitoring, 2015, San Diego, California, United States

Abstract

The brilliant blue coloration of Morpho butterfly has been a physical mystery, which has a single color in too wide angular range (> ± 40° from the normal) despite the interference effect. After proven the principle of the mystery by emulating the specific nanostructures of their scales by extracting the optical essence, we found the reproduced Morpho-color to serve wide applications, because it can produce a conspicuous single color in wide angular range with high reflectance without any chemical pigment, which is also resistant to fading caused by chemical change for long time. Thus, we have developed various technologies for practical applications of the specific color, such as mass-production processes, control and simulation of their optical properties. One of the remaining key issues is to produce the substrate-free color materials such as micro-powders, because all processes have long been accompanied with the thick substrate designed with a specific nanostructure, which has fatally limited the variety of applications. We developed a simple process to mass-fabricate the color powders. Also the micro-powders were found to maintain the original optical properties in a tiny size. This process will extend effectively the applications of the Morpho-color, which enables the coloring without any limit of shape.

Citation Download Citation

Akira Saito, Kosei Ishibashi, Megumi Akai-Kasaya, and Yuji Kuwahara "Simple mass-production method of substrate-free powders for applications of the Morpho-colored materials", Proc. SPIE 9429, Bioinspiration, Biomimetics, and Bioreplication 2015, 942912 (27 March 2015); https://doi.org/10.1117/12.2084517

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