Bioinspired Synergistic Texture and Color Modulation Enabled by Surface Instability of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Elastomers

Fuente: arXiv
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Auteurs principaux: Yang, Xiao, Sim, Jay, Huang, Wenbin, Zhao, Ruike Renee
Format: Preprint
Publié: 2025
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author Yang, Xiao
Sim, Jay
Huang, Wenbin
Zhao, Ruike Renee
author_facet Yang, Xiao
Sim, Jay
Huang, Wenbin
Zhao, Ruike Renee
contents Certain cephalopods can dynamically camouflage by altering both skin texture and color to match their surroundings. Inspired by this capability, we present a cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer-liquid crystal elastomer (CLCE-LCE) bilayer capable of simultaneous, reversible modulation of surface texture and structural color through programmable wrinkling. By tuning the bilayer's fabrication parameters, on-demand wrinkle morphologies and color combinations are achieved. Spatially selective UV curing allows localized surface textures, while chemical patterning of the CLCE layer enables region-specific color responses, expanding the design space for multifunctional, spatially encoded optical materials. The CLCE-LCE bilayer enables dynamic thermal regulation by tuning light absorption through synergistically modulating surface morphology and color. Notably, this system achieves strain-dependent multiscale encoding via multistep selective UV curing, revealing distinct visual content under different applied strains. This work establishes a versatile platform that merges surface instabilities with tunable structural coloration, advancing intelligent materials with programmable, strain-responsive surface and optical properties.
format Preprint
id arxiv_https___arxiv_org_abs_2508_03870
institution arXiv
publishDate 2025
record_format arxiv
spellingShingle Bioinspired Synergistic Texture and Color Modulation Enabled by Surface Instability of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Elastomers
Yang, Xiao
Sim, Jay
Huang, Wenbin
Zhao, Ruike Renee
Applied Physics
Certain cephalopods can dynamically camouflage by altering both skin texture and color to match their surroundings. Inspired by this capability, we present a cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer-liquid crystal elastomer (CLCE-LCE) bilayer capable of simultaneous, reversible modulation of surface texture and structural color through programmable wrinkling. By tuning the bilayer's fabrication parameters, on-demand wrinkle morphologies and color combinations are achieved. Spatially selective UV curing allows localized surface textures, while chemical patterning of the CLCE layer enables region-specific color responses, expanding the design space for multifunctional, spatially encoded optical materials. The CLCE-LCE bilayer enables dynamic thermal regulation by tuning light absorption through synergistically modulating surface morphology and color. Notably, this system achieves strain-dependent multiscale encoding via multistep selective UV curing, revealing distinct visual content under different applied strains. This work establishes a versatile platform that merges surface instabilities with tunable structural coloration, advancing intelligent materials with programmable, strain-responsive surface and optical properties.
title Bioinspired Synergistic Texture and Color Modulation Enabled by Surface Instability of Cholesteric Liquid Crystal Elastomers
topic Applied Physics
url https://arxiv.org/abs/2508.03870