American scientists from the University of California, San Diego have developed soft and durable materials that emit light under mechanical stress, thanks to single-celled dinoflagellate algae. To work published In the scientific journal Science Advances.
The resulting substance consists of the dinoflagellates themselves and a seaweed-based polymer called alginate. The elements were formed into a solution and then used as “ink” in a 3D printer to create grids, spirals, networks, balls, blocks and pyramids.
“The interesting thing about these materials is that they are inherently simple; they do not require any electronic devices or an external power source. “We show how the power of nature can be harnessed to directly convert mechanical stimuli into light radiation,” said the study’s senior author, Shengqiang Cai, professor of mechanical engineering. .
When materials are compressed, stretched or bent, the dinoflagellates within them respond by emitting light. This reaction mimics what happens when algae produce flashes of light in the ocean to protect themselves from predators.
In tests, the materials glowed when researchers pressed on them and drew patterns on them. They were also sensitive enough to glow under the weight of a foam ball rolling across their surface.
When the composition is coated with an elastic polymer, algae materials can be stored in seawater for up to five months without losing their shape or ability to glow.
The researchers think their discovery could be used in soft robotic and biomedical devices, as well as pressure, strain and strain sensors.
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