Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

Giselle Rosetta; Matthew Gunn; John J. Tomes; Mike Butters; Jens Pieschel; Frank Hartmann; Markus Gallei; Chris E. Finlayson

doi:10.3390/molecules27123774

Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

Giselle Rosetta, Matthew Gunn, John J. Tomes, Mike Butters, Jens Pieschel, Frank Hartmann, Markus Gallei, Chris E. Finlayson

Department of Physics

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › peer-review

5 Citations (Scopus)

62 Downloads (Pure)

Abstract

We report on shear-ordered polymer photonic crystals demonstrating intense structural color with a photonic bandgap at 270 nm. Our work examines this UV structural color, originating from a low refractive index contrast polymer composite system as a function of the viewing angle. We report extensive characterization of the angle-dependent nature of this color in the form of ‘scattering cones’, which showed strong reflectivity in the 275–315 nm range. The viewing range of the scattering was fully quantified for a number of planes and angles, and we additionally discuss the unique spectral anisotropy observed in these structures. Such films could serve as low-cost UV reflection coatings with applications in photovoltaics due to the fact of their non-photobleaching and robust mechanical behavior in addition to their favorable optical properties.

Original language	English
Article number	3774
Number of pages	12
Journal	Molecules
Volume	27
Issue number	12
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.3390/molecules27123774
Publication status	Published - 11 Jun 2022

Keywords

UV reflecting films
UV spectroscopy
optical characterization
photonic crystals
polymers
thin film coatings

Access to Document

10.3390/molecules27123774Licence: CC BY

ArticleFinal published version, 2.6 MBLicence: CC BY

Permanent link

Persistent link

Cite this

@article{3afb943f819f4605b424929e15828c62,

title = "Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color",

abstract = "We report on shear-ordered polymer photonic crystals demonstrating intense structural color with a photonic bandgap at 270 nm. Our work examines this UV structural color, originating from a low refractive index contrast polymer composite system as a function of the viewing angle. We report extensive characterization of the angle-dependent nature of this color in the form of {\textquoteleft}scattering cones{\textquoteright}, which showed strong reflectivity in the 275–315 nm range. The viewing range of the scattering was fully quantified for a number of planes and angles, and we additionally discuss the unique spectral anisotropy observed in these structures. Such films could serve as low-cost UV reflection coatings with applications in photovoltaics due to the fact of their non-photobleaching and robust mechanical behavior in addition to their favorable optical properties.",

keywords = "UV reflecting films, UV spectroscopy, optical characterization, photonic crystals, polymers, thin film coatings",

author = "Giselle Rosetta and Matthew Gunn and Tomes, {John J.} and Mike Butters and Jens Pieschel and Frank Hartmann and Markus Gallei and Finlayson, {Chris E.}",

note = "Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded in part by SPARC-II (European Regional Development Fund), Llywodraeth Cymru (KESS-2, Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship), and Varichem Co., Ltd. Publisher Copyright: {\textcopyright} 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.",

year = "2022",

month = jun,

day = "11",

doi = "10.3390/molecules27123774",

language = "English",

volume = "27",

journal = "Molecules",

issn = "1420-3049",

publisher = "Multidisciplinary Digital Publishing Institute",

number = "12",

}

TY - JOUR

T1 - Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

AU - Rosetta, Giselle

AU - Gunn, Matthew

AU - Tomes, John J.

AU - Butters, Mike

AU - Pieschel, Jens

AU - Hartmann, Frank

AU - Gallei, Markus

AU - Finlayson, Chris E.

N1 - Funding Information: Funding: This research was funded in part by SPARC-II (European Regional Development Fund), Llywodraeth Cymru (KESS-2, Knowledge Economy Skills Scholarship), and Varichem Co., Ltd. Publisher Copyright: © 2022 by the authors. Licensee MDPI, Basel, Switzerland.

PY - 2022/6/11

Y1 - 2022/6/11

N2 - We report on shear-ordered polymer photonic crystals demonstrating intense structural color with a photonic bandgap at 270 nm. Our work examines this UV structural color, originating from a low refractive index contrast polymer composite system as a function of the viewing angle. We report extensive characterization of the angle-dependent nature of this color in the form of ‘scattering cones’, which showed strong reflectivity in the 275–315 nm range. The viewing range of the scattering was fully quantified for a number of planes and angles, and we additionally discuss the unique spectral anisotropy observed in these structures. Such films could serve as low-cost UV reflection coatings with applications in photovoltaics due to the fact of their non-photobleaching and robust mechanical behavior in addition to their favorable optical properties.

AB - We report on shear-ordered polymer photonic crystals demonstrating intense structural color with a photonic bandgap at 270 nm. Our work examines this UV structural color, originating from a low refractive index contrast polymer composite system as a function of the viewing angle. We report extensive characterization of the angle-dependent nature of this color in the form of ‘scattering cones’, which showed strong reflectivity in the 275–315 nm range. The viewing range of the scattering was fully quantified for a number of planes and angles, and we additionally discuss the unique spectral anisotropy observed in these structures. Such films could serve as low-cost UV reflection coatings with applications in photovoltaics due to the fact of their non-photobleaching and robust mechanical behavior in addition to their favorable optical properties.

KW - UV reflecting films

KW - UV spectroscopy

KW - optical characterization

KW - photonic crystals

KW - polymers

KW - thin film coatings

UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85132077207&partnerID=8YFLogxK

U2 - 10.3390/molecules27123774

DO - 10.3390/molecules27123774

M3 - Article

C2 - 35744899

SN - 1420-3049

VL - 27

JO - Molecules

JF - Molecules

IS - 12

M1 - 3774

ER -

Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Permanent link

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Data to support "Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color"

Cite this

Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

Abstract

Keywords

Access to Document

Permanent link

Other files and links

Fingerprint

Datasets

Data to support "Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color"

Cite this