Covalent and physical cross-linking of photonic crystals with 10-fold-enhanced chemomechanical stability

Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids
Wendel WohllebenReinhold J Leyrer

Abstract

We report opal photonic crystals that are self-assembled from functional polymer particles. We randomly copolymerized functional side-chain monomers containing motifs that form homodimers or heterobridges. These include ether or methylene bridges, hydrazone bridges, acids for anhydride formation, low- T g copolymers or physical cross-links by hydrogen bonds and/or polarity. To generate particles that are monodisperse, spherical, and functionalized, we combined emulsifier-free synthesis with swelling synthesis steps. Laser diffraction from centimeter-sized beams, white-light interferometry, and atomic force microscopy demonstrates symmetry and homogeneity across the entire crystal without the loss of interstitial volume. Compared to the stability of nonfunctional particles, the stability of the crystal against immersion in water and isopropanol was enhanced from 10 to a perfect 100%. One of the successful approaches (methylene bridges from N-methylolmethacrylamid) is triggered by thermal activation, but as shown, this is operative far from the trivial regime of sintering. We demonstrate successful infiltration with and solvation of a laser-polymerizable resin, thus enabling the processing of 3D photonic waveguide structures.

References

Aug 17, 2001·Nature·S KawataK Takada
Jun 24, 2004·Journal of the American Chemical Society·Xiangling Xu, Sanford A Asher
Jul 13, 2004·Physical Review. E, Statistical, Nonlinear, and Soft Matter Physics·Sanford A AsherRasu Kesavamoorthy
Nov 18, 2005·Journal of Colloid and Interface Science·Chad E Reese, Sanford A Asher
Aug 9, 2006·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Feng PanTianmin Wang
Oct 13, 2006·Nano Letters·Linli MengDavid J Norris
Feb 3, 2007·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Wendel WohllebenReinhold J Leyrer

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Citations

Jul 10, 2013·Chemical Society Reviews·Hailin CongXuesong Liu
May 14, 2011·Macromolecular Rapid Communications·Yuqi ZhangLei Jiang
May 19, 2011·Macromolecular Rapid Communications·Izabela JurewiczAlan B Dalton
Nov 2, 2016·Langmuir : the ACS Journal of Surfaces and Colloids·Monika GoseckaMohamed M Chehimi
Nov 9, 2021·Chemical Reviews·Zhiwei LiYadong Yin

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