Published in

MDPI, Molecules, 12(27), p. 3774, 2022

DOI: 10.3390/molecules27123774

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Transparent Polymer Opal Thin Films with Intense UV Structural Color

This paper is made freely available by the publisher.
This paper is made freely available by the publisher.

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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.