Light-activated shape morphing and light-tracking materials using biopolymer-based programmable photonic nanostructures

• Published in: Nature communications 2021-03, Vol.12 (1), p.1651-9, Article 1651
• Main Authors: Wang, Yu, Li, Meng, Chang, Jan-Kai, Aurelio, Daniele, Li, Wenyi, Kim, Beom Joon, Kim, Jae Hwan, Liscidini, Marco, Rogers, John A., Omenetto, Fiorenzo G.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: 639/301/1019/1022; 639/301/54/989; Actuation; Actuators; Biopolymers; Composite materials; Crystals; Deformation; Elastomers; Humanities and Social Sciences; Illumination; Light; Light sources; Morphing; multidisciplinary; Photonic band gaps; Photonic crystals; Photovoltaic cells; Science; Science (multidisciplinary); Solar cells; Stability; Substrates; Sunflowers; Three dimensional motion; Tracking
• ISSN: 2041-1723; 2041-1723
• DOI: 10.1038/s41467-021-21764-6

Natural systems display sophisticated control of light-matter interactions at multiple length scales for light harvesting, manipulation, and management, through elaborate photonic architectures and responsive material formats. Here, we combine programmable photonic function with elastomeric material composites to generate optomechanical actuators that display controllable and tunable actuation as well as complex deformation in response to simple light illumination. The ability to topographically control photonic bandgaps allows programmable actuation of the elastomeric substrate in response to illumination. Complex three-dimensional configurations, programmable motion patterns, and phototropic movement where the material moves in response to the motion of a light source are presented. A “photonic sunflower” demonstrator device consisting of a light-tracking solar cell is also illustrated to demonstrate the utility of the material composite. The strategy presented here provides new opportunities for the future development of intelligent optomechanical systems that move with light on demand. Programmable optical actuation in a material provides special possibilities for applications. Here, the authors combine photonic crystals with elastomers to provide material composites with tunable deformation and actuation as a function of moving light.