Dynamic multifunctional devices enabled by ultrathin metal nanocoatings with optical/photothermal and morphological versatility

Songshan Zeng; Zhuoran Yang; Zaili Hou; Cheonjin Park; Michael D Jones; Hao Ding; Kuangyu Shen; Andrew T Smith; Henry X Jin; Bing Wang; Han Jiang; Luyi Sun

doi:10.1073/pnas.2118991119

Dynamic multifunctional devices enabled by ultrathin metal nanocoatings with optical/photothermal and morphological versatility

Proc Natl Acad Sci U S A. 2022 Jan 25;119(4):e2118991119. doi: 10.1073/pnas.2118991119.

Authors

Songshan Zeng^{1

2}, Zhuoran Yang³, Zaili Hou^{1

2}, Cheonjin Park⁴, Michael D Jones², Hao Ding^{1

2}, Kuangyu Shen^{1

2}, Andrew T Smith^{1

2}, Henry X Jin², Bing Wang⁴, Han Jiang⁵, Luyi Sun^{6

2

7}

Affiliations

¹ Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269.
² Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269.
³ School of Mechanics and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China.
⁴ Department of Computer Science and Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269.
⁵ School of Mechanics and Engineering, Southwest Jiaotong University, Chengdu, Sichuan 610031, China; jianghan@home.swjtu.edu.cn luyi.sun@uconn.edu.
⁶ Polymer Program, Institute of Materials Science, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269; jianghan@home.swjtu.edu.cn luyi.sun@uconn.edu.
⁷ Department of Biomedical Engineering, University of Connecticut, Storrs, CT 06269.

Abstract

Inspired by the intriguing adaptivity of natural life, such as squids and flowers, we propose a series of dynamic and responsive multifunctional devices based on multiscale structural design, which contain metal nanocoating layers overlaid with other micro-/nanoscale soft or rigid layers. Since the optical/photothermal properties of a metal nanocoating are thickness dependent, metal nanocoatings with different thicknesses were chosen to integrate with other structural design elements to achieve dynamic multistimuli responses. The resultant devices demonstrate 1) strain-regulated cracked and/or wrinkled topography with tunable light-scattering properties, 2) moisture/photothermal-responsive structural color coupled with wrinkled surface, and 3) mechanically controllable light-shielding properties attributed to the strain-dependent crack width of the nanocoating. These devices can adapt external stimuli, such as mechanical strain, moisture, light, and/or heat, into corresponding changes of optical signals, such as transparency, reflectance, and/or coloration. Therefore, these devices can be applied as multistimuli-responsive encryption devices, smart windows, moisture/photothermal-responsive dynamic optics, and smartphone app-assisted pressure-mapping sensors. All the devices exhibit high reversibility and rapid responsiveness. Thus, this hybrid system containing ultrathin metal nanocoatings holds a unique design flexibility and adaptivity and is promising for developing next-generation multifunctional devices with widespread application.

Keywords: hybrid structure; metal nanocoating; micro-/nanotopographies; multifunctional device; smart material.

Publication types

Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't