UC Irvine

Adaptive materials and systems with tunable optical properties upon external stimuli in different environment have attracted great research interest for enabling advances in varieties of optical and electrical applications. Considerable efforts have been devoted to exploring this exciting field. However, the development of scalable systems with dynamic optical functionalities for large-area applications have been proven technologically challenging. To address this challenge, we draw inspiration from the cephalopods, which are known as the chameleons of the sea. Their fascinating camouflage abilities mainly stem from the optically active cells/organs embedded in their skin known as iridophores and chromatophores. From these, we develop a new class of scalable adaptive devices that features tunable optical properties across the visible and near-infrared regions of the electromagnetic spectrum, with a 32-fold change in the specular-to-diffuse transmittance ratio. In addition, we develop large-area adaptive materials that possess the ability to modulate the transmittance within the infrared regions by over 20-fold upon actuation with strain. Together, our findings represent a key step towards the development of scalable adaptive optical systems and materials for different regions of the electromagnetic spectrum that utilize diverse means of actuation, which are related to a variety of advanced applications, including large-area camouflage and signaling systems, wearable electronics, smart windows, thermal management systems, and energy-conserving technologies.