Cephalopod-inspired tunable infrared camouflage

Abstract

Cephalopods are known as the chameleons of the sea - they can alter their skin's coloration, pattern, texture, and reflectivity to blend into the surrounding environment. Despite much research effort, there are few known strategies (natural or artificial) for emulating the unique dynamic reflectivity and coloration of cephalopods. We have drawn inspiration from self-assembled structures found in cephalopods to fabricate tunable biomimetic camouflage coatings. The reflectance of these coatings can be dynamically modulated between the visible and IR regions of the electromagnetic spectrum in situ. Our studies represent a crucial step towards reconfigurable and disposable IR camouflage for stealth applications.