Block Copolymer-based Photonic Pigments: Towards Structural Non-iridescent Brilliant Coloration

Abstract

Creating color through the self-assembly of specific building blocks to fabricate photonic morphologies is a promising and intriguing approach to reproducing the flamboyant visual effects and dynamic properties observed in the natural world. However, the complexity and lack of robustness in the manufacture of these nanostructured materials hinder their technical exploitation on a large scale. To overcome such limitations, here we present a novel methodology to create bioinspired photonic pigments as dispersed and micrometer-scale particles based on highly ordered concentric lamellar microspheres made of block copolymers. First, we introduce the fabrication protocol and the advantages of this approach compared to the traditional colloidal self-assembly. Then, we discuss some possible future research directions focused on developing hybrid organic-inorganic photonic pigments with enhanced dielectric contrast, reduced scattering, and specific functionalities. Finally, we speculate on possible applications for these structures that go beyond their use as simple photonic pigments.