H. Jayamaha, K. Park, L. Shepherd
Cornell University,
United States
Keywords: photonic, ultrablack, chiroptical, structure
Summary:
This presentation explores the development of photonic fibers and fabrics, focusing on their ability to modulate electromagnetic wave interactions across scales. The importance of hierarchical structures is highlighted in two different projects, (i) ultrablack (i.e., materials that reflect < 0.5% of light) textiles, derived from wool and (ii) cadmium sulfide quantum dot (CdS) electrospun fibers. With inspiration from nature, for ultrablack, an innovative approach is showcased which results in the darkest textile ever produced to date that also maintains its ultrablack performance at wide viewing angles. Additionally, the mechanisms of nano-to-macro chirality transfer in cadmium sulfide quantum dot fibers is examined, emphasizing their fabrication via electrospinning and their unique chiroptical properties. This research advances the understanding of structure-property relationships in functional textiles, further paving the way for applications in solar energy, camouflage, and environmental sensing.