**:Technology**.
Inspired by the chameleon's ability to change color, the researchers developed a dynamic and sustainable color-changing ink. Pictured is an illustration of a 3D printed chameleon created by the research team.
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign.
Inspired by the chameleon's ability to change color, researchers at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign in the United States have developed a sustainable technology that can 3D print multiple dynamic colors with a single ink. The study was published in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
By designing new chemistries and printing processes, researchers can dynamically adjust the color of the structure, resulting in color gradients that were previously impossible. In this study, the team proposed a UV-assisted ink writing 3D printing method. This method is able to control the specially designed cross-linked polymer by adjusting the light, thus changing the color of the structure during the printing process.
Unlike traditional colors, which come from chemical pigments or dyes that absorb light, the rich structural colors in many biological systems come from nanotextured surfaces that interfere with visible light, the researchers said. This makes them look more vibrant and more sustainable.
The researchers achieved the production of structural colors ranging from dark blue to orange in the visible wavelength range. Instead of using a variety of different pigments to achieve a color gradient, the team was able to create a color gradient using a single ink and modifying the way it was printed.