Article
Crystallography
Wanli He, Daipeng Yao, Shiguang Luo, Ruijuan Xiong, Xiaotao Yuan
Summary: This paper proposes a new method for preparing broadband reflective cholesteric films using inkjet printing and non-stick technology. The feasibility of automatic mixing of liquid crystal and doped materials in inkjet printing is studied. The spectral data of samples prepared by manual mixing and automatic mixing by inkjet printing are compared. It is found that the spectral error of the printed film is less than 0.17 wt%, which exceeds the effect of manual mixing. The feasibility of preparing liquid crystal films with broadband reflection characteristics by stacking polymerization based on in situ UV polymerization and non-stick technology is verified. The bandwidth of the PSCLC film can be accurately controlled by changing the printing amount of chiral doped ink. This technology is expected to play an important role in scientific research and practical application.
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Florian Malotke, Tobias Thiele, Jochen S. Gutmann, Michael Giese
Summary: A modular tool box for photoresponsive cholesteric liquid crystals based on hydrogen-bonded assemblies is developed, allowing tunable structural coloration. The blue shift in cholesteric liquid-crystalline thin films is attributed to the photoinduced destruction of smectic clusters, resulting in a contraction of the helical structure. Furthermore, the use of a stereolithography 3D printer enables the direct transfer of digital information into a multicolor photonic pattern.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2023)
Article
Polymer Science
Mark J. Moran, Olena Ouskova, Katherine M. Gerosa, Anna Tabirian, Nelson Tabiryan, Nicholas P. Godman, Michael E. McConney, Jonathan Slagle, Timothy J. Bunning
Summary: The directed self-assembly of liquid crystal polymers has superior optical properties compared to conventional isotropic optical materials. However, the exploration of reflective liquid crystalline polymeric films has been limited due to production challenges. In this study, we investigate stacked polymer cholesteric liquid crystal thin films as a means to generate reflective diffractive optics for circularly polarized light. We present three different exemplar cases to demonstrate the potential of these unique thin polymer films.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Chun Lam Clement Chan, Iek Man Lei, Gea T. van de Kerkhof, Richard M. Parker, Kieran D. Richards, Rachel C. Evans, Yan Yan Shery Huang, Silvia Vignolini
Summary: This study combines cholesteric hydroxypropyl cellulose with in situ photo-crosslinking to produce filaments with an internal helicoidal nanoarchitecture, enabling the direct ink writing of solid, volumetric objects with structural color. By tuning the lyotropic or thermotropic behavior of the cellulose, the iridescent color of the objects can be adjusted across the visible spectrum, allowing for the printing of objects with different colors from the same feedstock.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Ren Zheng, Lingling Ma, Wei Feng, Jintao Pan, Zeyu Wang, Zhaoxian Chen, Yiheng Zhang, Chaoyi Li, Peng Chen, Hari Krishna Bisoyi, Bingxiang Li, Quan Li, Yanqing Lu
Summary: Advances in biomimicry have led to the rise of advanced robotics, offering promising revolutions in various fields. This article presents the design, fabrication, and operation of crosslinked liquid crystal actuators that combine microstructure programming and macroscopic shape morphing for active optics and photonics. These actuators, consisting of twisted nematic liquid crystal molecules, exhibit large bending deformations in response to heat, enabling programmable bending motions and self-sustained waddling oscillations. The achievement of dynamic 2D beam steering and self-sustained light field modulation further enhances their potential applications in autonomous active optical systems, photonic applications, and self-governing robotics.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Grant E. Bauman, Joselle M. McCracken, Timothy J. White
Summary: Liquid crystal elastomers (LCE) are emerging material actuators that undergo macroscopic dimensional changes when stimulated. In this study, LCE is prepared using thiol-Michael/thiol-ene reactions, enabling actuation at or below ambient temperature. The alignment of LCE is achieved through mechanical alignment and 3D printing, allowing for high strain and tunable thermotropic response.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2022)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Juan Xue, Xuewu Yin, Lulu Xue, Chenglin Zhang, Shihua Dong, Li Yang, Yuanlai Fang, Yong Li, Ling Li, Jiaxi Cui
Summary: Many organisms produce stunning optical displays based on structural color, achieved through the interaction of light with micro-/nano-structures. Unfortunately, current synthetic materials are often brittle and energy-intensive. Inspired by peacock feathers, researchers have developed a self-growing photonic composite system that allows for easy tuning of coloration. This innovative method offers flexibility, toughness, self-healing ability, and reshaping capability, making it a promising solution for various applications of structural color materials.
NATURE COMMUNICATIONS
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Davey C. Hoekstra, Bodine P. A. C. van der Lubbe, Tom Bus, Lanti Yang, Nadia Grossiord, Michael G. Debije, Albert P. H. J. Schenning
Summary: By controlling the sequence and rate of free-radical and cationic photopolymerization reactions, researchers can manipulate the phase separation in liquid crystal networks and tune the reflective color of structurally colored coatings. Conversely, the structural color can be used as a tool to monitor the degree of phase separation. This new photopolymerization procedure shows potential for structuring liquid crystal networks in three dimensions, allowing for the fabrication of liquid crystal polymer materials with programmable functional properties.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Fantao Meng, Benzhi Ju, Zhenzhi Wang, Ronghui Han, Yuang Zhang, Shufen Zhang, Ping Wu, Bingtao Tang
Summary: We present a new synthetic strategy that combines N-carboxyanhydride (NCA) chemistry and photonic crystals for the fabrication of polypeptide structural color films. Through surface-initiated ring-opening polymerization, a di-NCA derivative of L-cystine (Cys) is utilized to replicate functionalized colloidal crystal templates and create freestanding P(Cys) films with adjustable structural color. The feasibility of producing patterned polypeptide photonic films is demonstrated through template microfabrication. The introduction of L-glutamate (Glu) components enables the P(Cys-co-Glu) copolypeptide films to exhibit visual color responsiveness to pH changes. Additionally, the polypeptide photonic films possess on-demand degradability.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN CHEMICAL SOCIETY
(2022)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Seungmin Nam, Dahee Wang, Chaehyun Kwon, Sang Hyun Han, Su Seok Choi
Summary: Structural color can be produced by nanoperiodic dielectric structures using soft materials, and stretchable chiral photonic elastomers (CPEs) can self-organize into a helical nanostructure, with the chiral nanostructural color controlled by stretching. This study presents stretchable CPEs with simultaneous multicolor control, including electrical control, and demonstrates various device applications such as multiarrayed color binning and chameleon-like photonic e-skin. The ability to control the separation of biomimetic multicolors in stretchable photonic systems improves the functionality of potential photonic applications.
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Yue Wu, Ruikang Sun, Jie Ren, Shufen Zhang, Suli Wu
Summary: A programmable thermochromic patterned photonic film based on infiltration-controlled photonic crystals has been developed for encrypted anti-counterfeiting. It can hide and display preset colors by adjusting the temperature, providing a new direction for the encrypted anti-counterfeiting technology.
ADVANCED FUNCTIONAL MATERIALS
(2023)
Article
Nanoscience & Nanotechnology
Weixin Zhang, Albert P. H. J. Schenning, Augustinus J. J. Kragt, Guofu Zhou, Laurens T. de Haan
Summary: In this study, a temperature-responsive photonic coating was fabricated, showing a reversible color change from red to blue upon heating. The coating retains high transparency and fully reversible structural color changes. Adding a protective polysiloxane layer on top of the cholesteric layer effectively safeguards it from damage without affecting its optical properties.
ACS APPLIED MATERIALS & INTERFACES
(2021)
Article
Chemistry, Applied
Yuying Liu, Baolong Xue, Shuheng Liang, Jiadeng Zhu, Yuanyuan Yu, Yulin Zhou, Mengjin Jiang, Junhua Zhang
Summary: This study aims to improve the resilience and clarity of water-developable photopolymer resin plates by modifying PVA. The modified PVA showed significantly lower glass transition temperature and higher elongation at break compared to traditional PVA. This water-soluble self-plasticized m-PVA has potential applications in the fine flexographic printing industry.
PROGRESS IN ORGANIC COATINGS
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Physical
Zhihuan Li, Jianxi Liu, Haoze Wu, Jiao Tang, Zhongyang Li, Yadong Xu, Feng Zhou, Weimin Liu
Summary: A structure called MOF-on-MOF is used to stack different types of MOFs with different lattice constants for molecule sieving or filtering. This paper reports the design and fabrication of isostructural MOFs-based photonic crystals (PCs) by layer-by-layer assembly of Bragg bilayers of lattice-matched MOFs thin films. The bandwidth and reflectivity of the PCs can be tailored by controlling the thickness and refractive index of the Bragg bilayers.
Article
Materials Science, Multidisciplinary
Marta Gajadhur, Paulina Chmura
Summary: This research investigates the illumination time of four luminescent pigments (green, blue, violet, and orange) used in security printing and special effect covers. It examines the printout preparation on paper bases with and without optical brighteners, using different pigment concentrations and inks. The study presents mathematical models to help adjust ink layer thickness and pigment concentration for desired glow time.
APPLIED MATERIALS TODAY
(2023)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Augustinusj J. Kragt, Davey C. Hoekstra, Sjoerd Stallinga, Dirk J. Broer, Albertus P. H. J. Schenning
ADVANCED MATERIALS
(2019)
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Davey C. Hoekstra, Bodine P. A. C. van der Lubbe, Tom Bus, Lanti Yang, Nadia Grossiord, Michael G. Debije, Albert P. H. J. Schenning
Summary: By controlling the sequence and rate of free-radical and cationic photopolymerization reactions, researchers can manipulate the phase separation in liquid crystal networks and tune the reflective color of structurally colored coatings. Conversely, the structural color can be used as a tool to monitor the degree of phase separation. This new photopolymerization procedure shows potential for structuring liquid crystal networks in three dimensions, allowing for the fabrication of liquid crystal polymer materials with programmable functional properties.
ANGEWANDTE CHEMIE-INTERNATIONAL EDITION
(2021)
Article
Physics, Applied
Davey C. Hoekstra, Patricia P. M. Visser, Simon J. A. Houben, Johan Lub, Michael G. Debije, Albert P. H. J. Schenning
Summary: The fabrication of foldable, compact liquid crystal actuators based on oxetane reactive monomers shows excellent one-way shape memory properties and large two-way bending actuation capabilities.
JOURNAL OF APPLIED PHYSICS
(2021)
Article
Polymer Science
Davey C. Hoekstra, Michael G. Debije, Albert P. H. J. Schenning
Summary: This study reports the formation of triple-shape-memory liquid crystalline-interpenetrating polymer network (LC-IPN) actuators based on a hybrid acrylate-oxetane LC mixture. Polymer films with two distinct glass-transition temperatures are created through the orthogonal polymerization of oxetane and acrylate liquid crystals, allowing for one-way triple-shape-memory actuation and two-way bending actuation with a broad temperature window. The results demonstrate the combination of shape memory polymers with liquid crystal-based soft actuators, showcasing advanced stimuli-responsive properties.
Review
Chemistry, Physical
Davey C. Hoekstra, Albert P. H. J. Schenning, Michael G. Debije
