THE BEAUTY OF BIO-PAINT
With a swish of its tail, a wide fan opens an array of iridescent feathers. A peacock, like an artist, paints the air, dazzling its would-be mates and whomever else is within view. A butterfly flutters, flashing blue wings that seem lit from within. Iridescence in nature is a beautiful thing. What if we could paint with such flourish?
New research, conducted by chemists at the University of Cambridge and biotechnology company Hoekmine BV, is laying the groundwork for bio-iridescent color in paint.
These are not colors that artists can simply mix up on their palette. That’s because they are not pigments, but rather they are structural color. Pigments look the same from any angle, while structural color changes with the angle of light. Scientists Robert Hooke and Isaac Newton were the first to identify structural color in the late 17th century.
The study, published in the journal PNAS, is the first to investigate the genetics of structural color -- to identify which exact genes are responsible for structural coloration.
A range of organisms flaunt structural color, including plants, insects, birds, fish and more. It’s an evolutionary development that helps with everything from camouflage, to mating, to photosynthesis.
Silvia Vignolini led the research team at Cambridge, in studying colonies of metallic green flavobacterium, a rod-shaped bacteria found in soil and freshwater.
They experimented with the genetic makeup of the flavobacterium, the scientists found they could also change its color. They were able to produce any metallic color they wanted and could control the intensity of each shade.
Just as with peacock feathers, the lab-produced colors changed when viewed from different angles.
Scientists will continue to explore the genetics of structural color as well as ways to incorporate it into paint and other materials.
Beyond iridescent aesthetics, using flavobacterium as a colorant has the benefit of being biodegradable. The challenge is that the bacteria has a lifespan of just 24 hours. So scientists are working on developing a fixative to make the shiny color last.
Researchers are also collaborating with artists. Artists in residence at Hoekmine BV, are currently experimenting with bacteria-fueled paintings. And we cannot wait to see them!
Read more about Beautiful Science in Beautiful Space Travels Without Leaving the Ground! and 90% of Your Body Isn’t You!
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