The new material, when exposed to ultraviolet light, altered the shine of silver to a golden hue.

Precious metals, valued throughout history, are now successfully replacing other materials with a lustrous effect in jewelry, cosmetics, reflective elements, and films. However, "glitters" in any form do not decompose in nature, causing harm to the environment. Therefore, scientists are seeking a "natural" alternative.

A team of researchers from Chiba University (Japan), in collaboration with engineers from several other Japanese universities, analyzed their previous experiences with biomimetics (artificial nanomaterials that mimic the properties of biomaterials) and focused on finding molecular structures with the desired properties. Specifically — shiny and capable of changing color.

As a result, chemists developed a unique material based on derivatives of diacetylene, which includes stilbene (an organic compound from the aromatic hydrocarbon series). When exposed to ultraviolet light, its silver color transforms to gold, which the scientists attributed to partial topochemical polymerization within the structure. The reaction involves monomers made up of molecules forming one or more main links in the polymer chain. In the crystalline state, they align.

The researchers also noted that the golden shine can be achieved selectively, in patches in specific areas, solely through light exposure. Additionally, it is possible to achieve graduated transitions. These properties of the resulting material will be particularly useful in the production of printing inks and decorative cosmetics, as well as in decorative applied arts.

There are potential prospects in microelectronics as well: for example, in the manufacturing of templates for lithography of semiconductor chips — in the production of microcircuits using ultraviolet lasers. This is a complex and high-precision process: a photolithographic mask is used to expose a photosensitive material, resulting in the formation of transistors and semiconductor circuits on the chip.

The study is published in the journal ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces.