Volume 21, Issue 12 2410729
Research Article

Synergistic Hydrophilic and Electrostatic Induction for Liquid Photonic Crystals of Poly (Acrylic Acid)-block-Polystyrene Colloidal Nanospheres From RAFT-Mediated Emulsion Polymerization

Xu Zhang

Xu Zhang

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

Search for more papers by this author
Zhujun Wang

Zhujun Wang

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

Search for more papers by this author
Yi Huang

Corresponding Author

Yi Huang

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 Australia

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
Nicholas Kai Shiang Teo

Nicholas Kai Shiang Teo

School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 Australia

Search for more papers by this author
Yexi Mo

Yexi Mo

School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 Australia

Search for more papers by this author
Tina Hsia

Tina Hsia

School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 Australia

Search for more papers by this author
Jianjun Guo

Jianjun Guo

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

Search for more papers by this author
Min Shao

Min Shao

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

Search for more papers by this author
Jianzhong Shao

Corresponding Author

Jianzhong Shao

Engineering Research Center for Eco-Dyeing and Finishing of Textiles, Ministry of Education, Zhejiang Sci-Tech University, Hangzhou, 310018 China

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
San H. Thang

Corresponding Author

San H. Thang

School of Chemistry, Monash University, Clayton, Victoria, 3800 Australia

E-mail: [email protected]; [email protected]; [email protected]

Search for more papers by this author
First published: 17 February 2025

Abstract

Liquid Photonic Crystals (LPCs) represent a distinctive category of photonic materials that merges the ordered structure of colloidal photonic crystals with the dynamic nature of liquids, allowing for flexibility in tuning their assembly and optical properties in response to external stimuli. However, the requirement of high solid content and high stability of these LPCs continue to pose a significant challenge in their controlled synthesis, efficient assembly, and system stabilization. Herein, highly charged poly (acrylic acid)-b-polystyrene (PAA-b-PS) colloidal nanospheres are synthesized using RAFT-mediated emulsion polymerization. Under the hydration and electrostatic interactions induced by selected polymeric inducers, PAA-b-PS colloidal nanospheres with a uniform carboxylate anion surface are synthesized, capable of forming iridescent LPCs at an overall low solid content (20 wt%) containing localized areas of high solid content. Furthermore, carboxymethyl cellulose (CMC), one of the polymeric inducers, undergoes photosensitive modification to facilitate the digital light processing (DLP) 3D printed LPCs hydrogel models. This strategy offers innovative approaches for the synthesis, assembly, and 3D-printed LPC materials, promising applications in smart displays, sensory systems, and optical devices.

Conflict of Interest

The authors declare no conflict of interest.

Data Availability Statement

The data that support the findings of this study are available from the corresponding author upon reasonable request.

The full text of this article hosted at iucr.org is unavailable due to technical difficulties.