Biomimetic structural color materials based on artificial melanin particles

Abstract

In vivid structural coloration in the natural world, melanin plays an important role. For example, the coloring of peacock feathers is based on the periodic microstructure formed by melanin granules. Melanin, which has the ability to absorb light, not only builds a microstructure but also absorbs scattered light to produce highly visible structural colors. We focus on polydopamine as a mimic of melanin and the production of structural color materials from a biomimetic perspective. This review paper focuses on our recent findings on structural color materials using artificial melanin particles made of polydopamine and describes the research trends.