Gao, W, Rigout, M and Owens, H (2016) Self-assembly of silica colloidal crystal thin films with tuneable structural colours over a wide visible spectrum. Applied Surface Science, 380. pp. 12-15. ISSN 0169-4332
Abstract
Colloidal crystal (CC) thin films that produce structural colours over a wide visible spectrum have been self-assembled from silica nanoparticles (SNPs) using a natural sedimentation method. A series of colloidal suspensions containing uniform SNPs (207-350. nm) were prepared using the Stöber method. The prepared silica suspensions were directly subjected to natural sedimentation at an elevated temperature. The SNPs were deposited under the force of gravity and self-assembled into an ordered array. The solid CC thin films produced structural colours over a wide visible spectrum from red to violet. Visual inspection and colorimetric measurements indicated that the structural colour of the CC thin film is tuneable by varying the SNPs diameters and the viewing angles. The closely packed face-centred cubic (fcc) structure of the CC thin film was confirmed using SEM imaging and was in agreement with the intense colour observed from the film surface.
Metadata
Item Type: | Article |
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Authors/Creators: |
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Copyright, Publisher and Additional Information: | © 2016, Elsevier. This is an author produced version of a paper published in Applied Surface Science. Uploaded in accordance with the publisher's self-archiving policy. |
Keywords: | Silica nanoparticles; Colloidal crystals; Photonic crystals; Thin films; Self-assembly; Gravity sedimentation; Structural colours |
Dates: |
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Institution: | The University of Leeds |
Academic Units: | The University of Leeds > Faculty of Arts, Humanities and Cultures (Leeds) > School of Design (Leeds) > Deputy Head of School (Sch of Design) (Leeds) |
Depositing User: | Symplectic Publications |
Date Deposited: | 24 Jun 2016 10:36 |
Last Modified: | 14 Apr 2017 05:06 |
Published Version: | http://dx.doi.org/10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.02.106 |
Status: | Published |
Publisher: | Elsevier |
Identification Number: | 10.1016/j.apsusc.2016.02.106 |
Open Archives Initiative ID (OAI ID): | oai:eprints.whiterose.ac.uk:96859 |