Bio-Inspired Wrinkled Photonic Elastomer with Superior Controllable and Mechanically Stable Structure for Multi-Mode Color Display

Color is an excellent carrier of information between organisms. Photonic elastomers that convert abstract mechanical information into intuitive color information have shown great potential in various application fields. However, angular correlation of structural colors and monotonous color conversion mode affect the accuracy of material information reading and the applicability in diverse application scenarios. Here, inspired by a kind of bright blue spider- Poecilotheria metallica, a new wrinkled photonic elastomer structure is reported. Through wrinkling stretchable 1D photonic crystals (1DPCs), photonic elastomers with both one-directional and omni-directional angle-independent brilliant structural colors are realized. It is worth noting that with the hybrid 1DPC and polydimethylsiloxane substrate support, the wrinkled photonic structure and structural color remain stable after 1000 strain cycles, and mechanochromic sensitivity can reach 3.25 nm/%, indicating strong structural stability and sensitive deformation performance under stress. More importantly, by comprehensively manipulating micro-wrinkle structure and lattice spacing of the photonic films, the structural color can achieve delayed discoloration and invisible-visible reversible switching performance only through a single strain direction. The proposed wrinkled photonic elastomers have a broad application value in the fields of visual strain sensing, wearable devices, and information encryption. Furthermore, it provides a new strategy for color regulation of photonic materials.

Automated summary

This study reports a new wrinkled photonic elastomer structure inspired by a bright blue spider. By controlling the micro-wrinkle structure and parameters of photonic crystals, the structure achieves both one-directional and omni-directional angle-independent brilliant structural colors. The proposed structure has stability and sensitive deformation performance, and it has important implications for visual strain sensing, wearable devices, and information encryption.