Impact of wood surface roughness on optical properties of photonic crystal and amorphous photonic crystal structural color coatings

Abstract

ABSTRACT Photonic crystal structural coloration represents a novel method for surface decoration of wood. Employing thermal-assisted gravity deposition and spray coating techniques, this study fabricated photonic crystal (PC) and anisotropic photonic crystal (APC) coatings on Aspen and African blackwood surfaces with varying roughness. Taking into consideration wood characteristics such as color and texture, the correlation between wood surface roughness and the decorative effects of PC and APC coatings was analyzed. In summary, lower wood surface roughness enhances the optical effects of PC coatings. Different effects are observed when constructing PC coatings on wood with varying colors. APC coatings fail to achieve decorative effects on light-colored wood, and for dark-colored wood, maintaining a higher level of wood surface roughness is recommended when applying APC coatings for optimal decorative outcomes.