Bioinspired synergistic texture and color modulation enabled by surface instability of cholesteric liquid crystal elastomer bilayers.

ABSTRACT: 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 ultraviolet (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 absor

SUBMITTER: Yang X 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC12571064 | biostudies-literature | 2025 Oct

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature