Light-driven dynamic surface wrinkles for adaptive visible camouflage

Abstract

Camouflage is widespread in nature, engineering, and the military. Dynamic surface wrinkles enable a material the on-demand control of the reflected optical signal and may provide an alternative to achieve adaptive camouflage. Here, we demonstrate a feasible strategy for adaptive visible camouflage based on light-driven dynamic surface wrinkles using a bilayer system comprising an anthracene-containing copolymer (PAN) and pigment-containing poly (dimethylsiloxane) (pigment-PDMS). In this system, the photothermal effect–induced thermal expansion of pigment-PDMS could eliminate the wrinkles. The multiwavelength light–driven dynamic surface wrinkles could tune the scattering of light and the visibility of the PAN film interference color. Consequently, the color captured by the observer could switch between the exposure state that is distinguished from the background and the camouflage state that is similar to the surroundings. The bilayer wrinkling system toward adaptive visible camouflage is simple to configure, easy to operate, versatile, and exhibits in situ dynamic characteristics without any external sensors and extra stimuli.