J4 ›› 2016, Vol. 13 ›› Issue (3): 355-363.doi: 10.1016/S1672-6529(16)60308-6

• 论文 •    下一篇

Excellent Color Sensitivity of Butterfly Wing Scales to Liquid Mediums

Zhiwu Han1,2, Meng Yang1,3, Bo Li1, Zhengzhi Mu1, Shichao Niu1,2, Junqiu Zhang1, Xiao Yang1,4   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Automotive Simulation and Control, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
    3. Hangzhou Branch of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310018, China
    4. School of Mechanical Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
  • 收稿日期:2015-11-10 修回日期:2016-05-10 出版日期:2016-07-10 发布日期:2016-07-10
  • 通讯作者: Shichao Niu E-mail:niushichao@jlu.edu.cn
  • 作者简介:Zhiwu Han1,2, Meng Yang1,3, Bo Li1, Zhengzhi Mu1, Shichao Niu1,2, Junqiu Zhang1, Xiao Yang1,4

Excellent Color Sensitivity of Butterfly Wing Scales to Liquid Mediums

Zhiwu Han1,2, Meng Yang1,3, Bo Li1, Zhengzhi Mu1, Shichao Niu1,2, Junqiu Zhang1, Xiao Yang1,4   

  1. 1. Key Laboratory of Bionic Engineering (Ministry of Education, China), Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
    2. State Key Laboratory of Automotive Simulation and Control, Jilin University, Changchun 130022, China
    3. Hangzhou Branch of Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hangzhou 310018, China
    4. School of Mechanical Engineering, Hangzhou Dianzi University, Hangzhou 310018, China
  • Received:2015-11-10 Revised:2016-05-10 Online:2016-07-10 Published:2016-07-10
  • Contact: Shichao Niu E-mail:niushichao@jlu.edu.cn
  • About author:Zhiwu Han1,2, Meng Yang1,3, Bo Li1, Zhengzhi Mu1, Shichao Niu1,2, Junqiu Zhang1, Xiao Yang1,4

摘要:

The ultrastructure characteristic and vivid colors of butterfly wing scales have attracted considerable attention recently. Surprisingly, these hyperfine structures also endow butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana wing scales the excellent color sensitive property to liquid mediums. In this work, the characteristic features of this excellent functional surface and the mechanism of its highly sensitive response characteristics were investigated. Firstly, the extraordinary and ordered nanostructures of this butterfly wing scales were characterized by a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). Then, the ultra-depth three-dimensional (3D) microscope was used to observe the sensitive discoloration effect of the scales to liquid mediums. Afterwards, the highly spectral sensitive feature was identified by a mini spectrometer. In addition, the mechanism of this color sensitive effect of butterfly wing scales was revealed through modelling, calculation and simulation. It was found that this sensitivity is caused by the combined action of the microscale scales and the ultra-fine nanoscale structures in scale surface. On one hand, the arched and bended cover scales were stretched and superimposed by the filled ether solution. So, the color of the scales became reddish brown in an instant. On the other hand, the change of the fill mediums with different reflective index induced the modification of the surface interference, resulting in the peak shift of the reflectance spectrum. More importantly, the results of simulation and theoretical calculation were both in agreement with the experimental results. It illustrated that the butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana wings have repeatable sensitivity to liquid mediums, and obvious discoloration sensitive effect. This spectral sensitivity of butterfly wing scales has great prospect and meaning for the basic research and application of cheap, environmentally free and biodegradable sensitive element for water quality monitoring and analysis system.

关键词: color sensitivity, micro and nanostructures, butterfly wing scales, bionics

Abstract:

The ultrastructure characteristic and vivid colors of butterfly wing scales have attracted considerable attention recently. Surprisingly, these hyperfine structures also endow butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana wing scales the excellent color sensitive property to liquid mediums. In this work, the characteristic features of this excellent functional surface and the mechanism of its highly sensitive response characteristics were investigated. Firstly, the extraordinary and ordered nanostructures of this butterfly wing scales were characterized by a Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscope (FESEM). Then, the ultra-depth three-dimensional (3D) microscope was used to observe the sensitive discoloration effect of the scales to liquid mediums. Afterwards, the highly spectral sensitive feature was identified by a mini spectrometer. In addition, the mechanism of this color sensitive effect of butterfly wing scales was revealed through modelling, calculation and simulation. It was found that this sensitivity is caused by the combined action of the microscale scales and the ultra-fine nanoscale structures in scale surface. On one hand, the arched and bended cover scales were stretched and superimposed by the filled ether solution. So, the color of the scales became reddish brown in an instant. On the other hand, the change of the fill mediums with different reflective index induced the modification of the surface interference, resulting in the peak shift of the reflectance spectrum. More importantly, the results of simulation and theoretical calculation were both in agreement with the experimental results. It illustrated that the butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana wings have repeatable sensitivity to liquid mediums, and obvious discoloration sensitive effect. This spectral sensitivity of butterfly wing scales has great prospect and meaning for the basic research and application of cheap, environmentally free and biodegradable sensitive element for water quality monitoring and analysis system.

Key words: color sensitivity, micro and nanostructures, butterfly wing scales, bionics