How aerospace engineers are taking inspiration from octopus for new colour changing gel
Cephalopods often baffle scientists with their unique characteristics — especially the way their skin changes colour. For octopus, in particular, this colour change is akin to a muscle reflex, controlled by multiple brains throughout its body. Aerospace engineers from Rutgers University in New Jersey looked to these deep water creatures for developing a new 3D printed gel that reacts to light, much like a cephalopod’s muscle reflex.
This new 3D printed gel contains a nonmaterial called chromatophores. These are the colour-changing cells responsible for the gel’s reflexive ability to alter depending on the illumination surrounding it. In a paper published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, researchers explain that the chromatophores are 3D printed into a hydrogel, the same found in everyday items like diapers and contact lenses, to create a lightweight and reflexive camouflage for aircrafts that doesn’t hinder their performance.
Aerospace engineering is one of the most complex forms of engineering practiced today. The depth of math involved with practices like mechanical engineering is made more complex by having to factor g-force, wind resistance and even atmospheric temperature changes to develop vehicles that can withstand travelling in unpredictable environments — and keep its occupants safe. It’s up to this highly skilled and disciplined engineering profession to ensure this 3D printable hydrogel can perform its function without affecting the way aircrafts performs.
APEGA is proud to support aerospace engineers and the innovations they contribute to pushing the boundaries of air and space travel.