U(rano)topia: spectral skies and rainbow holograms for silica aerogel artworks

• Published in: Journal of sol-gel science and technology Vol. 106; no. 2; pp. 319 - 330
• Main Authors: Michaloudis, Ioannis, Kanamori, Kazuyoshi, Pappa, Ifigenia, Kehagias, Nikolaos
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: New York Springer US 01.05.2023; Springer Nature B.V
• Subjects: Applications close to industry; Artists; Arts; Ceramics; Chemical composition; Chemistry and Materials Science; Composites; Functional materials; Glass; High temperature; Holograms; Inorganic Chemistry; Invited Paper: Sol-gel and hybrid materials with surface modification for applications; Materials Science; Nanolithography; Nanotechnology; Natural Materials; New technology; Optical and Electronic Materials; Rainbows; Shades; Silica aerogels; Visual artists; Visual arts; Rainbow hologram; High jewelry; Visual arts; Nanopatterning; Roll-to-roll nanoimprint lithography; Aerogel
• ISSN: 0928-0707; 1573-4846
• DOI: 10.1007/s10971-021-05676-x

Micro/nano structuring in distinct chemical compositions has demonstrated added values which could be utilized in various modern applications and products through the lens of visual arts. Silica aerogel is a prominent example of such a nanostructure, with which we recently utilized to accommodate the unique design of high jewelry. Using its natural shades and transparent layers, silica aerogel can be described by the first author, a visual artist, as an extremely beautiful and ethereal material that closely resembles a piece of sky. Ultimately silica aerogel can be exploited as a sky-like material, and has been used in numerous collaborations amongst artists and scientists to bring to life concepts, like rainbow holograms on silica aerogel dried by high-temperature supercritical drying with methanol. In this short review, we show how such collaborations the authors have been proceeding are evoking developments in science and technology as well as in design, fashion and art industries. The series of the collaborative research has been contributing to the development of quality end products by merging new technologies, novel functional materials and innovative manufacturing processes with visual arts. Highlights Unique spectral property of silica aerogels evoked the creation of sky in visual arts. High jewelries composed of a celestial silica aerogel have been developed. Roll-to-Roll nanoimprint lithography has been applied to incorporate rainbow on a silica aerogel.