Printing of Responsive Photonic Cellulose Nanocrystal Micro-Film Arrays
Authors
Publication Date
2018-09-21Journal Title
Advanced Functional Materials
ISSN
1616-301X
Publisher
Wiley-Blackwell
Number
1804531
Type
Article
This Version
AM
Metadata
Show full item recordCitation
Zhao, T., Parker, R., Williams, C., Lim, K., Frka-Petesic, B., & Vignolini, S. (2018). Printing of Responsive Photonic Cellulose Nanocrystal Micro-Film Arrays. Advanced Functional Materials, (1804531)https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201804531
Abstract
Interactive materials capable of changing appearance upon exposure to external stimuli, such as photonic inks, are generally difficult to achieve on a large scale as they often require self-assembly processes that are difficult to control macroscopically. Here we overcome this problem by preparing arrays of cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) micro-films from discrete nanoliter sessile droplets. The obtained micro-films show extremely uniform and intense color, enabling exceptional consistency in optical appearance across the entire array. The color can be controlled through the initial ink formulation, enabling the printing of polychromatic dot-matrix images. Moreover, the high surface-to-volume ratio of the micro-films and the intrinsic hydrophilicity of the natural building block allow for a dramatic real-time colorimetric response to changes in relative humidity. The printed CNC micro-film arrays overcome the existing issues of scalability, optical uniformity and material efficiency, which have held back the adoption of CNC-based photonic materials in cosmetics, interactive-pigments or anti-counterfeit applications.
Relationships
Is supplemented by: https://doi.org/10.17863/CAM.25747
Sponsorship
The European Research Council [ERC-2014-STG H2020 639088], the BBSRC David Phillips Fellowship [BB/K014617/1], the EPSRC [EP/L016087/1, EP/L015978/1, EP/N016920/1], and the Winton Programme for the Physics of Sustainability.
Funder references
BBSRC (BB/K014617/1)
EPSRC (1648007)
ECH2020 EUROPEAN RESEARCH COUNCIL (ERC) (639088)
EPSRC (EP/N016920/1)
EPSRC (EP/L015978/1)
EPSRC (EP/L016087/1)
Embargo Lift Date
2100-01-01
Identifiers
External DOI: https://doi.org/10.1002/adfm.201804531
This record's URL: https://www.repository.cam.ac.uk/handle/1810/289988
Rights
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