iStockphoto
Scientists in China have created a material that makes people “invisible.” They achieved this breakthrough thanks to a new, chameleon-like, color changing technology.
No, that doesn’t mean that we will all soon be able to have our our Harry Potter invisibility cloaks. Though that would be pretty cool.
What it does mean, according to the scientists who created it, is that this new material is simpler, cheaper and more user-friendly than previous camouflaging systems that touted “invisibility.” Potential applications for the material include use in the military, architecture, and fashion, for things like camouflage systems, smart coatings, display devices, and anti-counterfeiting technology.
According to a report by the South China Morning Post, the “key to the transformation is a molecular compound that changes its structure when exposed to specific wavelengths of light. To the naked eye, the material appears to blend seamlessly with its environment.”
“In other words, applying this technology to clothing could make an individual effectively ‘invisible,’” lead researcher Wang Dongsheng, told China Science Daily.
Wang and his team from the University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, who recently published their research in the journal Science Advances, call the process of creating the “invisibility” material Self-Adaptive Photochromism (SAP). SAP, the scientists claim, works similarly to how a chameleon or an octopus camouflages itself.
“The SAP materials are in the primary black state under dark and spontaneously switch to another color upon triggering by transmitted and reflected light in the background,” the researchers explain ed in their report.
The Independent reports…
The researchers conducted two tests to assess these materials.
In one test, a transparent container with SAP solution was placed in acrylic boxes of different colors, including red, green, yellow, and black.
The scientists found that the SAP solution changed color to match that of the surrounding acrylic box.
In the other test, they placed an SAP solution-filled container in environments with red, green, or yellow colors in the background.
They found that the SAP solution changed color to blend with the surroundings in just about a minute.
Right now, Wang said, the SAP materials cannot match colors like purple and blue, but they believe that with further testing they will be able to achieve that goal.
“By adding more photochromic molecules or adjusting its composition, we aim to achieve finer distinctions in color and faster changing speed,” said Wang.