Kobe University Researchers Launch the New Nano-Scale Inks
Kanesa David — January 31, 2024 — Tech
References: kobe-u.ac.jp & newatlas
Researchers at Kobe University have designed a revolutionary "structural color ink" with dimensions as thin as 100-200 nanometers. This innovation delivers vivid colors from expansive viewing angles without fading while maintaining an impressively low weight of less than half a gram per square meter. Departing from conventional approaches utilizing parallel nanostructures, the Kobe team leverages tiny crystalline silicon spheres in their method.
The key to this breakthrough lies in Mie resonance, a phenomenon where nano-scale spheres exhibit a selective and heightened reflection of specific wavelengths. Kobe University's research not only pushes the boundaries of structural color creation but also opens avenues for lightweight, high-performance applications across various industries.
"A single layer of sparsely distributed silicon nanoparticles with a thickness of only 100–200 nanometers shows bright colors but weighs less than half a gram per square meter," says Kobe materials engineer Sugimoto Hiroshi in a press release. "This makes our silicon nanospheres one of the lightest color coats in the world."
Image Credit: FUJII Minoru
The key to this breakthrough lies in Mie resonance, a phenomenon where nano-scale spheres exhibit a selective and heightened reflection of specific wavelengths. Kobe University's research not only pushes the boundaries of structural color creation but also opens avenues for lightweight, high-performance applications across various industries.
"A single layer of sparsely distributed silicon nanoparticles with a thickness of only 100–200 nanometers shows bright colors but weighs less than half a gram per square meter," says Kobe materials engineer Sugimoto Hiroshi in a press release. "This makes our silicon nanospheres one of the lightest color coats in the world."
Image Credit: FUJII Minoru
Trend Themes
1. Structural Color Creation - The design of revolutionary 'structural color ink' with dimensions as thin as 100-200 nanometers showcases the potential for vivid and fading-resistant colors.
2. Expansive Viewing Angles - The development of color-displaying ink variants that deliver vivid colors from expansive viewing angles highlights a new level of visual experience.
3. Low Weight High-performance Applications - The application of lightweight color coats weighing less than half a gram per square meter enables new possibilities for high-performance applications across various industries.
Industry Implications
1. Printing - The breakthrough in structural color ink opens up disruptive innovation opportunities in color printing technology.
2. Packaging - The utilization of color-displaying ink variants can bring innovative packaging solutions with vibrant and fading-resistant colors.
3. Display Technology - The implementation of expansive viewing angles in color-displaying ink variants presents disruptive opportunities in the field of display technology.
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