japanese researchers develop new material that changes color with pressure detection

researchers at the fukuoka institute of technology have developed a new material that changes color with pressure detection. led by associate professor nobuyoshi miyamoto, the research group has created an inorganic nanosheet structural hydrogel that detects extremely weak force (1kPa) and can change colors over and over again.all images courtesy of fukuoka institute of technology

strong, flexible and responsive, the inorganic nanosheet structural color gel can be used in various applications. the research group of associate professor nobuyoshi miyamoto of the department of bio-environmental chemistry, graduate school of engineering, fukuoka institute of technology, has developed a new method that detects force and causes color change using an aggregate of inorganic nanosheets with a thickness of about 1 / 1,000,000 mm. it detects a weak force of 1kPa (about 1/10 of the force required to crush tofu) and makes it possible to capture how much pressure is applied to which part of an object as a real-time color change. as a result, the hydrogel film can visualize force on the surface of an object in real time without installing a complicated sensor. 

the color change is based on ‘structural color’, which comes from the brilliance found on butterfly scales, peacock feathers, opals, etc.. this brilliance comes from a colorless substance that forms a special structure that reflects light as it hits the surface at various angles, emitting bright colors. color development based on this principle is called ‘structural color’, and, unlike dyes, it has many advantages such as durability and tone changes due to structural changes. so far, many studies have been conducted to imitate the structural color of nature using spherical silica particles, as the research explains.