Surfaces of low reflectance are ubiquitous in animate systems. They form essential components of the visual appearance of most living species and can explicitly influence other biological functions such as thermoregulation. The blackness associated with all opaque surfaces of low reflectivity has until now been attributed to strongly absorbing pigmentation alone. Our present study challenges this assumption, demonstrating that in addition to the requirement of absorbing pigmentation, complex nano-structures contribute to the low reflectance of certain natural surfaces. We describe preliminary findings of an investigation into the nature of the black regions observed on the dorsal wings of several Lepidoptera. Specifically, we quantify the optical absorption associated with black wing regions on the butterfly Papilio ulysses and find that the nanostructure of the wing scales of these regions contributes significantly to their black appearance.
Based on the super light trapping property of butterfly Trogonoptera brookiana wings, the SiO2 replica of this bionic functional surface was successfully synthesized using a sim...
The West African Gaboon viper (Bitis rhinoceros) is a master of camouflage due to its colouration pattern. Its skin is geometrically patterned and features black spots that purp...
Abstract Many studies have shown how pigments and internal nanostructures generate color in nature. External surface structures can also influence appearance, such as by causing...
We report the investigation of a nano-scale antireflection structure in the black scales of the Troides aeacus butterfly wing, which can be viewed as a natural solar collector. ...
Abstract The wing surfaces of 97 insect species from virtually all relevant major groups were examined by high resolution scanningâelectronâmicroscopy, in order to identify the ...
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