Kobe University Engineers Develop Lightweight, Printable Structural Color Ink
The new ink, based on silicon nanospheres, could significantly reduce the weight of coatings on large objects like airplanes.
Overview
- Kobe University material engineers have developed a new form of structural color ink that is printable, non-iridescent and lightweight.
- The ink uses silicon nanospheres that scatter light in bright colors through the phenomenon of 'Mie resonance'.
- The color of the ink can be controlled by varying the size of the silicon nanospheres.
- The ink can be applied extremely thinly, promising significant weight improvements over conventional paints.
- The technology could be used in applications such as airplane coatings, potentially reducing their weight by more than 90%.