How can moths help you see your phone?
The creators of a new non-reflecting surface took inspiration from an unusual source: moth eyes. Researchers working on the EU-funded SUN-PILOT project were able to mimic the nano-textured surface of the insect’s compound eyes to produce a flexible, durable coating that dramatically reduces glare. The project has now been featured in the new CORDIS series of explanatory videos titled Make the Connection with EU Science. “Even though there are different techniques out there for the fabrication of these novel patterns, a lot of these technologies have their limits,” says project coordinator Parvaneh Mokarian, a research associate professor at the School of Chemistry and Advanced Material and BioEngineering Research Centre (AMBER) in Trinity College Dublin. “If you want to create these novel patterns on a larger scale and curved surfaces, it's going to be very expensive.” By contrast, the technique developed by SUN-PILOT is economical, easily-scalable and environmentally-friendly. The nanopatterning could be applied to car interiors to reduce hazardous reflections, or to computer screens to make them easier to see in bright light, prolonging the battery life of our gadgets. As well as anti-reflective surfaces, the SUN-PILOT project also explored the use of nano-texturing to create self-cleaning surfaces that repel dirt and water. ‘Make the connection with EU-science’ is a series of explanatory videos focusing on the scientific content and exploitation aspects of EU research projects.
Keywords
SUN-PILOT, moths, optics, nanostructures, nano-patterning technology, anti-reflective surfaces,