Sol-gel co-assembly of hollow cylindrical inverse opals and inverse opal columns.

A facile approach of fabricating hollow cylindrical inverse opals and inverse opal columns by sol-gel co-assembly method was proposed. Polystyrene (PS) colloidal suspension added with hydrolyzed silicate precursor solution was used to self-assemble composite colloidal crystals which consist of PS colloidal crystal template and infiltrated silica gel in the interstitial of microspheres. Continuous hollow cylindrical composite colloidal crystal films have been produced on capillaries' outside and internal surface. Composite colloidal crystal columns which filling up the interior of a capillary were fabricated by pressure assisted sol-gel co-assembly method. Hollow cylindrical inverse opals and inverse opal columns were obtained after removing PS colloidal crystal from the composite colloidal crystal. Optical properties of the silica hollow cylindrical inverse opals were characterized by transmission spectrum and a stop band was observed. Structure and optical properties of the inverse opal columns were investigated.