Bioinspired Robust Sealed Colloidal Photonic Crystals of Hollow Microspheres for Excellent Repellency against Liquid Infiltration and Ultrastable Photonic Band Gap. Issue 18 (11th July 2016)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Zhong, Kuo; Liu, Liwang; Lin, Jiuyang; Li, Jiaqi; van Cleuvenbergen, Stijn; Brullot, Ward; Bloemen, Maarten; Song, Kai; Clays, Koen
• Is Part Of: Advanced materials interfaces. Volume 3:Issue 18(2016)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2016-07-11
• Subjects: colloidal photonic crystals -- high‐pressure stability -- hollow spheres -- liquid impermeable -- self‐cleaning; Materials science -- Periodicals; 620.11
• DOI: 10.1002/admi.201600579
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 2196-7350

Abstract

Abstract : Inspired by the limpet's shell, this study reports an inexpensive and straightforward strategy to create sealed photonic crystals from colloidal hollow microspheres. From the mechanically sealed structure and the periodically isolated air microcavities, the resulting sealed colloidal crystals show enhanced mechanical robustness and an ultrastable photonic band gap. In contrast to the sensitivity and the concomitant tuning capability in conventional opals and inverse opals, the sealed structure repels any liquid, even under high pressure, resulting in ultrastable photonic band gap properties. Moreover, with surface modification, its self‐cleaning ability prevents the deterioration of iridescence resulting from surface pollution. This novel photonic structure shows its potential utility in applications requiring an ultrastable photonic band gap in an extreme environment. This study demonstrates this by photonic crystal lasing at a constant wavelength for a sealed crystal, whether dry in air or submerged in water. Abstract : An inexpensive, straightforward and bioinspired strategy to create sealed colloidal crystals with excellent mechanical strength, repellency against liquid infiltration and ultrastable photonic band gap properties (structural color) is demonstrated. Based on the colloidal crystals of hollow SiO2 spheres, sealed colloidal photonic crystals are obtained after infiltration of silica in the voids between the hollow spheres. In contrast to the classical opal or inverse opal structure of colloidal photonic crystals, in this case, isolated air spheres are dispersed periodically in a sealed silica block. This results in keeping the band gap properties and repelling any liquid, even under high pressure. As a critical test, photonic crystal lasing is demonstrated for a sealed crystal, whether dry in air or completely submersed in water.