A self-healable poly(vinyl alcohol) (PVA) gelated crystalline colloidal array (GCCA) photonic crystal hydrogel was presented. The GCCA material efficiently diffracted visible light, and the structural color change induced by tensile stress could be easily distinguished by the naked eye. We proved that the multicolored GCCA with three-dimensional (3D) complex shapes could be prepared on a large scale through self-healing, and invisible quantum dots could be printed within the interfaces of the healed photonic crystal (PC) hydrogels, thus providing a method for the construction of multilevel PC structures with complex optical properties, such as heterostructures, secondary colors, and photonic printings.
As a noninvasive eye disease detection and drug delivery device, contact lenses can improve eye bioavailability and enable continuous drug delivery. In order to monitor the release of drugs in real time, molecularly imprinted contact lenses (MICLs) based on photonic crystals (PCs) were prepared for the treatment of diabetes-related diseases. The specific adsorption of molecularly imprinted polymers on dexamethasone sodium phosphate (DSP) increased the drug loading and optimized the drug release behavior. At the same time, the drug release ensures the rapid color report during the loading and releasing of drugs due to the volume and refractive index change of the hydrogel matrix. The continuous and slow release of DSP by MICLs in artificial tears was successfully monitored through structural color changes, and the cytotoxicity test results showed that the MICL had good biocompatibility. Therefore, MICLs with a PC structure color have great biomedical potentiality in the future.
An ion-imprinted photonic crystal (IIPC) sensor for visual detection of copper ions was prepared by the combination of ion-imprinting polymer and colloidal photonic crystal (CPC) structure. Monodisperse polystyrene (PS) colloidal nanospheres synthesized by the boiling soap-free emulsion polymerization method were used to prepare the CPC template by the solvent evaporation method. An ion-imprinted polymer based on poly(vinyl alcohol) and chitosan (PVA/CS) is infiltrated therein. The IIPC sensor film was then prepared by solventassisted freeze−thaw method while the CPC template was strengthened as the air pores of the template were replaced by PVA/CS hydrogel. The shift of the diffraction wavelength can be directly observed by the naked eye through the color change of the IIPCS according to the concentration change of copper ion. Such sensor film showed good selectivity and sensitivity with a lower detection limit of 10 −4 M.
A facile spray coating preparation of ultraviolet (UV) shielding Poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) based colloidal photonic crystal (PC) films was presented, where the UV radiation was physically resisted by the periodic structure. The specific wavelength within the UV regime could be tuned as required by varying the size of the monodispersed PMMA colloids. Such crystal coatings could be rapidly prepared in optical glasses with controllable thickness of ~5 μm, which could simultaneously resist UV-254 with the efficiency of 77.43%. The monochromaticity of the crystal coatings ensures their potential in UV shielding materials of direct physical skin contact type.
A rapid curing method for the preparation of colloidal photonic crystal films is presented. Firstly, a colloidal crystal array template was prepared by self-assembly of nanospheres, and then a dilute polymer solution was poured into the gap of the template. Then the composite photonic film was obtained as the polymer solution was cured. Such films have good properties in mechanical strength, anti pH interference, rapid solvent response and are easy to preserve. The films show good linear response to ethanol aqueous solutions of different concentrations, and the response equilibrium takes less than 20 s. The films also show long-term stability and reusability, and further functionalization can make the films multi-sensitive.
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