Role of Melanin in Structural Colors and Radiation Protection

Melanin is an important pigment to produce structure-based colors in bird feathers. It is known for its high refractive index, broad absorption of visible light, and its antioxidant properties. Even though melanin is black, the self-assembly process results in the formation of vibrant, saturated structural colors that we observe in hummingbirds and peacock feathers. I will share our recent work on synthetic approaches to produce melanin nanoparticles and the use of emulsion-based self-assembly to generate a wide gamut of tunable colors that can be printed on various substrates, including plastics, papers, and metals. I will also present the effect of UV, gamma, and space radiation on melanin and discuss the implications of these materials for space applications. Melanin, with these unique properties, could be used to develop radiation protection coatings and composites. In the area of structural colors, melanin-based chemistry could be used for non-toxic colors for paints, cosmetics, hair coloring, and the food industry.