TY - JOUR
T1 - Reversible Thermochromic Photonic Coatings with a Protective Topcoat
AU - Zhang, Weixin
AU - Schenning, Albert P.H.J.
AU - Kragt, Augustinus J.J.
AU - Zhou, Guofu
AU - De Haan, Laurens T.
PY - 2021/1/6
Y1 - 2021/1/6
N2 - The fabrication of reversible and robust thermochromic coatings remains challenging. In this work, a temperature-responsive photonic coating with a protective topcoat is fabricated. A cholesteric oligosiloxane liquid crystal possessing a smectic-to-cholesteric phase-transition temperature response is synthesized. A planar alignment of its cholesteric phase is possible with blade coating. By stabilizing with 3 wt % of a crosslinked liquid crystal network, the photonic coating shows a color change ranging from red to blue upon heating. High transparency is retained, and the structural color changes are fully reversible. A transparent polysiloxane layer can be directly applied on top of the cholesteric layer to protect it against damage without affecting its optical properties. This approach satisfies the basic requirements of thermochromic polymer coatings, as it combines easy processability, coating robustness, and a reversible temperature response.
AB - The fabrication of reversible and robust thermochromic coatings remains challenging. In this work, a temperature-responsive photonic coating with a protective topcoat is fabricated. A cholesteric oligosiloxane liquid crystal possessing a smectic-to-cholesteric phase-transition temperature response is synthesized. A planar alignment of its cholesteric phase is possible with blade coating. By stabilizing with 3 wt % of a crosslinked liquid crystal network, the photonic coating shows a color change ranging from red to blue upon heating. High transparency is retained, and the structural color changes are fully reversible. A transparent polysiloxane layer can be directly applied on top of the cholesteric layer to protect it against damage without affecting its optical properties. This approach satisfies the basic requirements of thermochromic polymer coatings, as it combines easy processability, coating robustness, and a reversible temperature response.
KW - cholesteric liquid crystals
KW - reflective coatings
KW - stimuli-responsive photonic materials
KW - structural color
KW - thermochromic polymers
UR - http://www.scopus.com/inward/record.url?scp=85099666801&partnerID=8YFLogxK
U2 - 10.1021/acsami.0c19236
DO - 10.1021/acsami.0c19236
M3 - Article
C2 - 33406827
AN - SCOPUS:85099666801
VL - 13
SP - 3153
EP - 3160
JO - ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
JF - ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces
SN - 1944-8244
IS - 2
ER -