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Photonic Patterns Printed in Chiral Nematic Mesoporous Resins
Author(s) -
Khan Mostofa K.,
Bsoul Anas,
Walus Konrad,
Hamad Wadood Y.,
MacLachlan Mark J.
Publication year - 2015
Publication title -
angewandte chemie international edition
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 5.831
H-Index - 550
eISSN - 1521-3773
pISSN - 1433-7851
DOI - 10.1002/anie.201410411
Subject(s) - materials science , swelling , photochromism , substrate (aquarium) , photonics , chemical engineering , mesoporous material , photonic crystal , inkwell , liquid crystal , composite material , nanotechnology , optoelectronics , organic chemistry , chemistry , oceanography , engineering , geology , catalysis
Chiral nematic mesoporous phenol‐formaldehyde resins, which were prepared using cellulose nanocrystals as a template, can be used as a substrate to produce latent photonic images. These resins undergo swelling, which changes their reflected color. By writing on the films with chemical inks, the density of methylol groups in the resin changes, subsequently affecting their degree of swelling and, consequently, their color. Writing on the films gives latent images that are revealed only upon swelling of the films. Using inkjet printing, it is possible to make higher resolution photonic patterns both as text and images that can be visualized by swelling and erased by drying. This novel approach to printing photonic patterns in resin films may be applied to anti‐counterfeit tags, signage, and decorative applications.