Microstructure of butterfly wing scale and simulation of structural color

Structural color has received an increasing amount of attention from researchers. Most hope to realize structural color because of its bright colors, durability and environmental friendliness. In this paper, we observed the butterfly microstructure and then predicted the probable optimal experimental parameters to realize the structural color on the substrate. The SEM images showed mesh and porousness were regularly arranged along the wing scale. The surface model of 2-D wing scale were set up and displayed based on SEM observations. The reflectivity spectrum of wing scale was also measured and analyzed. At the same time, the structural color was deduced based on the colloid nanoparticles ordered arrangement. Supposing the colloidal SiO2 nanoparticles (NPs) assembled on the substrate, the reflective intensity would change with nanoparticle (NP) size and NP film layer number. NP size appeared effecting structural color hue, and layer number effecting color saturation. In addition, structural color also varied observed from the different irradiant angle even if under the same NP size. These observation and deduction results of the structural color could effectively guide the materials design especially for the optical and color development.