Liu Chengben, Hou Xiaoyu, Zhu Zixin, Li Mingzhu
Laboratory of bio-inspired smart interface science, Technical Institute of Physics and Chemistry, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
School of Chemistry, Key Laboratory of Bio-inspired Smart Interfacial Science and Technology of Ministry of Education, Beihang University, Beijing 100190, P. R. China.
Chem Soc Rev. 2025 Aug 27. doi: 10.1039/d5cs00606f.
The development of micro- and nano-scale photonic materials represents a cornerstone of modern science and technology. Nature, as a master architect, has served us with the most compelling and time-tested innovations and bio-designs. From the vibrant iridescent wings of butterflies to the anti-reflective eyes of moths, biological systems have long perfected the art of light manipulation through intricate micro- and nanoscale architectures. By decoding these biological mechanisms, harnessing nature-inspired design and interdisciplinary innovation, researchers unlock pathways to create materials with tailored optical properties, durability, and environmental adaptability. In the evolving landscape of photonic materials science, bioinspired micro-nano photonic materials emerge as a transformative frontier, bridging the ingenuity of biological evolution with cutting-edge photonic technologies. In this review, we provide an overview of research efforts on bioinspired micro-nano photonic materials, which offer multifunctional, adaptive, and sustainable solutions for next generation environmentally sustainable photonic materials and ultra-compact, energy-efficient photonic devices. We summarize the typical foundational principles of biological systems where nanostructures have evolved over millennia to master light. Furthermore, we highlight recent advances in bioinspired micro-nano photonic materials which have led to tremendous progress in eco-friendly structural color display, visual chroma sensor, high-security information encryption, energy-efficient functional optoelectrical devices, and so on. Finally, we discuss the challenges and prospects of bioinspired micro-nano photonic materials, including nature-inspired design, fabrication sustainability, and interdisciplinary synergy, for applications in telecom, energy, and biomedicine in the future.
微纳尺度光子材料的发展是现代科学技术的基石。大自然作为一位杰出的建筑师，为我们提供了最引人入胜且久经考验的创新和生物设计。从蝴蝶色彩斑斓的虹彩翅膀到飞蛾的抗反射眼睛，生物系统长期以来通过复杂的微纳尺度结构完善了光操纵技术。通过解码这些生物机制，利用受自然启发的设计和跨学科创新，研究人员开辟了创造具有定制光学特性、耐久性和环境适应性材料的途径。在光子材料科学不断演变的格局中，受生物启发的微纳光子材料作为一个变革性前沿领域出现，将生物进化的智慧与前沿光子技术连接起来。在本综述中，我们概述了受生物启发的微纳光子材料的研究工作，这些材料为下一代环境可持续光子材料和超紧凑、节能光子器件提供了多功能、自适应和可持续的解决方案。我们总结了生物系统的典型基本原理，在这些系统中，纳米结构历经数千年进化以掌控光。此外，我们强调了受生物启发的微纳光子材料的最新进展，这些进展在生态友好型结构色显示、视觉色度传感器、高安全性信息加密、节能功能光电器件等方面取得了巨大进展。最后，我们讨论了受生物启发的微纳光子材料在未来电信、能源和生物医学应用中的挑战和前景，包括受自然启发的设计、制造可持续性和跨学科协同作用。
