Patternable structural color prepared by using photonic crystal paints with high solid content

Abstract

In this work, a kind of structural color paint composed of poly (styrene-butyl acrylate-butyl methacrylic acid) (P(St-BA-MAA)) latex dispersion was used to rapidly fabricate large‐area photonic crystal patterns (PCPs). There are two main parts: the P(St-BA-MAA) latex dispersion with high solid contents was prepared via an optimized semi‐batch emulsion polymerization method, and then the prepared P(St-BA-MAA) latex dispersion was directly used as paints to fabricate PCPs on different substrates by traditional brushing or printing method. Specifically, the apparent color, particle size and morphology of the P(St-BA-MAA) latex microspheres were characterized, the process of PCPs formation was deeply explored, the color effects and regulatory mechanisms of resultant structural color from PCPs were systematically analyzed, and the large-area PCPs with different color hues were fabricated using P(St-BA-MAA) latex microspheres. It was confirmed that the solid contents of synthesized P(St-BA-MAA) latex dispersion were about 50–55 wt%, the microspheres presented excellent monodispersity, good sphericity and typical core-shell structure. The process of PCPs formation was accompanied by a series of color changes, which could be explained by the Bragg's law of diffraction. The three dimensions (3D) PCPs with bright and angle-dependent structural color could be fabricated within 15–20 s on substrates, and the addition of black dye into paints could well enhance the brightness and vividness of prepared structural color. The area of PCPs with different structural colors could reach 1 m2 facilely in our experiments, which builds a practical basis for the industrialization of PCPs. The research results of this work would provide strategic support for the practical application of photonic crystals.