Investigating Nanoscopic Structures on a Butterfly Wing To Explore Solvation and Coloration

Surface structures on the nanometer size scale can impart new and exciting properties to bulk materials. Nanoscopic structures on hydrophobic materials can result in superhydrophobicity and structural coloration. We present an interdisciplinary experiment that introduces undergraduate students to na...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Journal of chemical education 2018-06, Vol.95 (6), p.1004-1011
Main Authors: Bober, Brittany A, Ogata, Jennifer K, Martinez, Veronica E, Hallinan, Janae J, Leach, Taylor A, Negru, Bogdan
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Beads
Chemistry
Coherent scattering
College Science
College students
Color
Detergents
Entomology
Hands on Science
Hydrophobic surfaces
Hydrophobicity
Interdisciplinary Approach
Laboratory Experiments
Materials science
Molecular Structure
Nanotechnology
Organic chemistry
Refraction
Refractivity
Science Experiments
Science Instruction
Science Laboratories
Scientific Concepts
Solvation
Students
Technology
Undergraduate Students
Undergraduate Study
Water treatment
Wavelengths
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Summary:Surface structures on the nanometer size scale can impart new and exciting properties to bulk materials. Nanoscopic structures on hydrophobic materials can result in superhydrophobicity and structural coloration. We present an interdisciplinary experiment that introduces undergraduate students to nanotechnology by manipulating the superhydrophobicity and structural coloration of blue Morpho butterfly wings. The use of detergents can change the surface of the wing from superhydrophobic to hydrophilic, while the use of common solvents can change the ambient index of refraction and shift coherently scattered light to longer wavelengths. Superhydrophobicity and alteration of the index of refraction are readily observable using Morpho menelaus and Morpho rhetenor butterflies: water beads up and rolls off untreated butterfly wings, while detergent-treated wings get wetted by water and change color from bright blue to green. This experiment is a fun and impactful introduction to fundamental physical principles involving solvation and properties of light that exposes students to materials science concepts that go beyond the solution-phase chemistry normally experienced in a general chemistry course.
ISSN:0021-9584
1938-1328
DOI:10.1021/acs.jchemed.7b00463