# 12 - Broadband reflecting fibers with tailored structures inspired by desert ants

**Source**: https://www.cs.tum.de/spp1839/projects/1st-period-2015-2018/12.html
**Parent**: https://www.cs.tum.de/spp1839/projects.html

Many organisms form photonic structures which
generate optical effects that are essential for their survival. The
majority of these structures exhibit periodical order, but nature has
also evolved disordered photonic structures, which display
function-related optical properties that could not be achieved with
periodically ordered structures consisting of the same materials.
Insects like our model organism, the Sahara silver ant Cataglyphis
bombycina have adapted to the extreme solar irradiation of their
habitat by densely covering their body with setae. These fiber-shaped
photonic structures have an intriguing, disordered hierarchical
architecture and shield the animal from sunlight through broadband
reflection. The essential structural and compositional parameters
responsible for the efficiency of their reflection properties have not
been studied yet. The aim of this project is to combine structural,
compositional and optical characterization with a theoretical study to
elucidate the correlations between disordered structure and broadband
reflection of the setae. The results will enable us to establish design
rules for a novel class of synthetic organic textile fibers with
highly efficient broadband reflection properties that are generated by
an irregular architecture and tailored structural disorder on the
micro- and nanoscopic length scale.

## Contributors

- [Dr. Helge-Otto Fabritius, Ph.D.](https://www.mpie.de/2929606/biological_composites)
- [Dr.-Ing. Xia Wu, Ph.D.](http://xia-wu.com/ "Opens internal link in current window")

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