Bioinspired composite architectures for responsive 4 dimensional photonics

Introduction

BIO4D aims to achieve a fundamental understanding and develop a true biomimetic model of natural responsive photonic systems. From air (Paradise bird) to land (Panther chameleon), and soil (Hoplia Argentea beetle) to water (Neon Tetra fish), nature has enabled organisms to morph their colour, visibility, and reflectivity, to camouflage, signal, mimic, distract, and regulate biological processes.

Challenges in Synthetic Analogues

Due to the complexities of these systems, true synthetic analogues have not been achievable to date. BIO4D will develop novel responsive 3D photonic structures by combining self-ordering photonic nanomaterials with state-of-the-art 3D fabrication at the nano and micro-scale. This will enable dynamic photonic behaviour including controllable refractive index, adaptable reflectivity and transmission, angle independency, and stimuli response.

Goals of BIO4D

This highly ambitious goal will be achieved by:

1. Developing self-ordered photonic nanomaterials in stimuli responsive hydrogel networks.
2. Understanding the effect of combining photonic substructures and superstructures (fabricated via 2-photon polymerisation) using Finite-difference time-domain analysis.
3. Fabricating biomimetic 3D photonic structures from composite hydrogels, using 2-photon polymerisation.
4. Demonstrating 4D photonic structures that show on-demand dynamic optical response.

Applications and Impact

This will enable truly biomimetic models through self-ordering nanomaterials (modelling keratin and chitin), stimuli-responsive materials (modelling motor proteins and actin filaments), and 3D direct laser writing (yielding ordered and disordered superstructures).

These stimuli-responsive photonic structures will offer a direct pathway to applications in:

• Active display technologies
• Biometric recognition
• Polarisation encryption
• Extremely low-cost sensing in liquid and gas

The fundamental breakthroughs that will be achieved will be far-reaching in materials development, chemistry, and physics.