Journal of Materials Chemistry Blog

US scientists have developed an adhesive tape that can help objects match the infrared reflectance of their surroundings and disguise them from being seen by infrared cameras. The flexible coating – based on a protein found in cephalopod skin – can moderate reflectance simply by stretching and may find application in military camouflage kit.

Cephalopods – such as squid, octopuses and cuttlefish – are nature’s masters of disguise. Their skins contain iridophores, cells that reflect and manipulate incident light to spectacular effect. Their plasma membranes fold to encompass lamellar-like platelets containing reflectin. Reversible phosphorylation of reflectin changes the size and structure of the lamellae, changing the iridophore’s reflectance across the visible spectrum.

Cuttlefish and other cephalopods are some of nature’s best camouflage artists © Shutterstock

 Interested? Read the full story at Chemistry World.

The original article can be read below:

Infrared invisibility stickers inspired by cephalopods
Long Phan, David D. Ordinario, Emil Karshalev, Ward G. Walkup IV, Michael A. Shenk and Alon A. Gorodetsky
J. Mater. Chem. C, 2015, Advance Article 
DOI: 10.1039/C5TC00125K

In a creative application of rational design, scientists in China have turned to nature to help overcome one of the key challenges facing the most probable successor to the lithium ion (Li-ion) battery. Lithium–sulfur (Li–S) batteries are cheaper, more sustainable and already capable of delivering up to three times the energy density of most Li-ion cells. However, they are held back by poor stability; a problem these researchers have confronted by functionalising the electrodes with DNA.

Li–S cells typically consist of a lithium metal anode and a carbon–sulfur cathode separated by a liquid electrolyte. Lithium ions dissolve from the anode during discharge, reacting with sulfur to form lithium polysulfides (Li₂S_x) at the cathode, while the reverse occurs on charging. Some of the polysulfide intermediates are unfortunately soluble in the electrolyte and their dissolution from the cathode leads to irreversible loss of the active sulfur, adversely affecting cell performance.

Interested? Read the full story at Chemistry World.

Functionalising electrodes with DNA significantly enhances performance © Shutterstock

The original article can be read below:

High-performance lithium/sulfur batteries by decorating CMK-3/S cathodes with DNA
Qiyang Li, Chenggang Zhou, Zhuan Ji, Bo Han, Liang Feng and Jinping Wu
J. Mater. Chem. A, 2015, Advance Article
DOI: 10.1039/C4TA06083K