Froyen Arne A F, Grossiord Nadia, de Heer Jos, Meerman Toob, Yang Lanti, Lub Johan, Schenning Albert P H J
Stimuli-Responsive Functional Materials and Devices, Department of Chemical Engineering and Chemistry, Eindhoven University of Technology, P.O. Box 513, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
Institute for Complex Molecular Systems, Eindhoven University of Technology, Den Dolech 2, 5600 MB Eindhoven, The Netherlands.
ACS Appl Mater Interfaces. 2022 Aug 31;14(34):39375-39383. doi: 10.1021/acsami.2c11106. Epub 2022 Aug 19.
Despite progress in the field of electrochromic devices, developing structural color-tunable photonic systems having both high transparency and flexibility remains challenging. Here, an ink-deposited transparent electrochromic structural colored foil displaying reflective colors, tuned by an integrated heater, is prepared in a single-substrate method. Efficient and homogeneous heating is induced by a gravure printed silver nanowire-based substrate, delivering an electrothermal response upon applying an electrical potential. On top of this flexible, transparent heater, a cholesteric liquid crystal ink is bar-coated and subsequently photopolymerized, yielding a structural colored film that exhibits temperature-responsive color changes. The transparent electrochromic foils appear colorless at room temperature but demonstrate structural color tuning with high optical quality when modifying the electrical potential. Both optical and electrothermal performances were preserved when deforming the foils. Applying the conductive and structural colored inks via the easy processable, continuous methods of gravure printing and bar-coating highlights the potential for scaling up to large-scale stimuli-responsive, transparent optical foils. These transparent structural colored foils can be potentially used for a wide range of photonic devices including smart windows, displays, and sensors and can be directly installed on top of curved, flexible surfaces.
尽管电致变色器件领域取得了进展，但开发兼具高透明度和柔韧性的结构颜色可调光子系统仍然具有挑战性。在此，通过单基板方法制备了一种通过集成加热器调节反射颜色的喷墨沉积透明电致变色结构彩色箔。由凹版印刷的银纳米线基基板引起高效且均匀的加热，在施加电势时产生电热响应。在这种柔性透明加热器之上，棒涂胆甾型液晶墨水并随后进行光聚合，得到呈现温度响应颜色变化的结构彩色薄膜。透明电致变色箔在室温下呈无色，但在改变电势时表现出具有高光学质量的结构颜色调节。当使箔变形时，光学和电热性能均得以保留。通过易于加工的连续凹版印刷和棒涂方法施加导电和结构彩色墨水，突出了扩大规模生产刺激响应性透明光学箔的潜力。这些透明结构彩色箔可潜在地用于包括智能窗户、显示器和传感器在内的广泛光子器件，并且可以直接安装在弯曲的柔性表面之上。
