Structural colored balloons consisting of polystyrene microcapsules in water

Structural colored balloons (SCBs) consisting of polystyrene microcapsules in water were prepared and characterized. SCBs were produced by the solvent evaporation method of W/O/W-type double emulsion. Because the surface thickness of SCB was controlled to be comparable to a visible-light wavelength, SCB developed various structural colors from violet to red depending on the surface thickness. SCB characterization revealed that (1) the surface thickness was independent of SCB size, (2) the developing color distribution was random, and (3) the surface thickness was strongly related to the developing color. The relationship between surface thickness, developed color, and capsule size can be predicted by an optical theory. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) images proved the validity of the theoretical calculation.     

光子晶体结构色织物研究进展

针对结构色织物难以产业化的现状,从光学效应和能够产生结构色的周期性结构两个角度系统介绍了结构色织物生色机理。随后,按照结构色织物表面光子晶体结构特征、所用光子晶体基元种类及结构色制备方法,对结构色织物进行了系统分类归纳,并指出了各自的优缺点。此外,现有结构色织物研究均为基于已有纳米粒子尺寸来表征对应结构色颜色,缺乏根据实际颜色需求选取光子晶体尺寸的研究。我们根据现有文献报道的光子晶体基元尺寸与所得结构色织物颜色种类的对应关系,通过计算得到了根据所需织物颜色种类确定光子晶体基元尺寸的公式。最后总结了结构色织物制备存在的问题,并给出了合理建议。     

Thermosensitive, soft glassy and structural colored colloidal array in ionic liquid: colloidal glass to gel transition

A novel soft material comprising thermosensitive poly(benzyl methacrylate)-grafted silica nanoparticles (PBnMA-g-NPs) and the ionic liquid (IL), 1-ethyl-3-methylimidazolium bis(trifluoromethane sulfonyl)amide ([C(2)mim][NTf(2)]), was fabricated. The thermosensitive properties were studied over a wide range of particle concentrations and temperatures. PBnMA-g-NPs in the IL underwent the lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase transition at lower temperatures with a broader transition temperature range as compared to the free PBnMA solution. Highly concentrated suspensions formed soft glassy colloidal arrays (SGCAs) exhibiting a soft-solid behavior and angle-independent structural color. For the first time, we report a discrete change in the angle-independent structural color of SGCAs with temperature because of a temperature-induced colloidal glass-to-gel transition. The interparticle interaction changed from repulsive to attractive at the LCST temperature, and it was characterized by a V-shaped rheological response and a direct electron microscope observation of the colloidal suspension in the IL. With unique rheological and optical properties as well as properties derived from the IL itself, the thermosensitive SGCAs may be of interest as a new material for a wide range of applications such as electrochemical devices and color displays.     

A simple introduction to colored symmetry

The problem of systematically coloring periodic patterns has interested textile designers, artists, and crystallographers since 1935. The classification of possible procedures has been seen to depend on space groups and their subgroups and factor groups. Crystallographers naturally worked in Euclidean three-space before generalizing to two, and then four, dimensions. The present treatment deals with the one-dimensional case in a manner that can easily be extended. Avoiding the crystallographers' customary emphasis on translations, among the various kinds of symmetry operations, allows the classification to be readily adapted to non-Euclidean geometries.     

Double lactonization in triarylamine-conjugated dimethyl diethynylfumarate: formation of intensely colored and luminescent quadrupolar molecules including a missing structural isomer of Pechmann dyes

Acid-induced double lactonization in triarylamine-conjugated dimethyl diethynylfumarate E-1 opens up a new synthetic route to Pechmann dyes. This one-pot reaction affords three donor-acceptor-donor quadrupolar molecules (P(55)-1, P(66)-1, and P(56)-1); P(56)-1 comprises a missing structural isomer of Pechmann dyes. They are intensely colored and brightly luminescent. An organic field-effect transistor device fabricated with P(66)-1 functions as a p-type semiconductor.     

Structural colored gels for tunable soft photonic crystals

A periodically ordered interconnecting porous structure can be embodied in chemical gels by using closest‐packed colloidal crystals as templates. The interconnecting porosity not only provides a quick response but also endows the porous gels with structural color arising from coherent Bragg optical diffraction. The structural colors revealed by porous gels can be regulated by several techniques, and thus, it is feasible to obtain desirable, smart, soft materials. A well‐known thermosensitive monomer, N‐isopropylacrylamide (NIPA), and other minor monomers were used to fabricate various structural colored gels. The selection of minor monomers depended on the targeted properties. This review focuses on the synthesis of templates, structural colored porous gels, and the applications of structural colored gel as smart soft materials for tunable photonic crystals. © 2009 The Japan Chemical Journal Forum and Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Chem Rec 9: 87–105; 2009: Published online in Wiley InterScience ( www.interscience.wiley.com ) DOI 10.1002/tcr.20169     

Lithography for imprinting colored patterns with quantum dots

In this article, we report a new form of lithography that involves a reaction between a gas and an ion embedded in a polymer film. The principle is based on a combination of top-down and bottom-up approaches in which a transmission electron microscope grid is placed on a poly(vinylpyrrolidone) film containing Cd2+ ions, which is then exposed to H2S gas. This leads to the generation of a fluorescent yellow pattern due to the formation of CdS nanoparticles on exposed parts of the film. Also, we have used the same method to generate patterns in two colors by starting with a green fluorescent dye incorporated into the film and following the same procedure in which patterned yellow-orange CdS nanoaparticles are distributed over the background fluorescence of the dye. We have used fluorescence microscopy, UV-vis and fluorescence spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy, and X-ray diffraction methods for the characterization of the products and patterns. This method could possibly be a fairly general method of generating patterned materials on 2D and 3D substrates.     

Escape over fluctuating barriers driven by colored noise

Escape over fluctuating barriers in the presence of thermal white noise is addressed. Several general results are established, for stochastic barrier fluctuations being controlled by colored Gaussian noise. Our findings are exact in the limit of white noise sources and (partially) in the limit of extreme large noise color, and are approximate for intermediate noise color. As one main result we find that the escape time can generically exhibit a minimum resonant activation, whenever the colored noise intensity is an increasing function of the noise correlation time. The effects induced by correlated noise sources are addressed as well.     

Cellulose nanofibers from white and naturally colored cotton fibers

Suspensions of white and colored nanofibers were obtained by the acid hydrolysis of white and naturally colored cotton fibers. Possible differences among them in morphology and other characteristics were investigated. The original fibers were subjected to chemical analysis (cellulose, lignin and hemicellulose content), X-ray diffraction (XRD) analysis, and scanning electron microscopy (SEM). The nanofibers were analyzed with respect to yield, elemental composition (to assess the presence of sulfur), zeta potential, morphology (by scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM)) and atomic force microscopy (AFM), crystallinity (XRD) and thermal stability by thermogravimetric analysis in air under dynamic and isothermal temperature conditions. Morphological study of several cotton nanofibers showed a length of 85–225 nm and diameter of 6–18 nm. The micrographs also indicated that there were no significant morphological differences among the nanostructures from different cotton fibers. The main differences found were the slightly higher yield, sulfonation effectiveness and thermal stability under dynamic temperature conditions of the white nanofiber. On the other hand, in isothermal conditions at 180 °C, the colored nanofibers showed a better thermal stability than the white.     

Evaluation of simulant migration of volatile nitrosamines from latex gloves and balloons by HS-SPME-GC-MS

Nitrosamines are a group of carcinogens that have been found in various latex products. Methods have been developed for extraction, concentration and detection of simulant migration of volatile nitrosamines from latex gloves and balloons. After glove samples or balloon samples were treated with artificial sweat and artificial saliva, headspace solid-phase microextraction and gas chromatography with mass spectrometer detection were performed. Eight volatile nitrosamines were extracted by a fused silica fiber coated with carboxen-polydimethylsioxane, and solid-phase microextraction conditions were optimized. The developed method was successfully used to analyze simulant migration of volatile nitrosamines from latex gloves and balloons. The described methods are rapid and simple, with adequate sensitivity and without organic solvent.     

Surface modification of polyamide 12 angioplasty balloons by photochemical reaction with an aromatic azide

Polyamide 12 (PA12) is used in a variety of applications when low moisture absorption, good dimensional stability, and toughness are required. Polyamide 12 is one of the polymers most frequently employed to fabricate angioplasty balloon catheters; however, its high hydrophobicity and chemical inertness require the application of coatings to make its surface more hydrophilic and biocompatible. In this work, an alternative method, based on the photochemical reaction of PA12 with a hydrophilic aromatic azide, was developed. Static and dynamic contact angle measurements evidenced that the surface modification process was able to improve PA12 wettability and that the effects were retained even after 12 months from surface treatment. Polyamide 12 modification resulted in an increase of its surface free energy, as evaluated by the van Oss, Good, and Chaudhury method. X‐ray photoelectron spectroscopy confirmed the presence of the aromatic azide on PA12 surface. Finally, compliance tests showed that the modification process did not reduce the mechanical performance of balloons.     

Preparation of colored latex with polyurea shell by miniemulsion polymerization

Colored latexes with polyurea shell were prepared by applying interfacial polycondensation reaction to the miniemulsion polymerization process. These colored latexes were composed of polystyrene core and polyurea shell, and their particle size was adjusted to <100 nm. Diisocyanate was used as a hydrophobic monomer, and the equivalent mole of diamine was used as a hydrophilic monomer for interfacial polymerization. It was important to control the rate of interfacial polycondensation reaction in order to prepare small particles. Dye preservation property of colored latex loaded with oil-soluble dye was investigated. Polyurea shell formed at the surface of latex particles could restrain the migration of dyes from the latex particles and improve the dye preservation property. The ability to prevent dye migration depended on the composition of the polyurea shell.     

Polymerization of brightly colored emulsions in a glycerol suspension medium

Upon emulsification of a mixture of methyl methacrylate or methacrylic acid monomer, along with divinylbenzene crosslinker and octane porogen into a glycerol suspension medium, brightly colored emulsions form. The bright colors of the emulsion originate from an exact matching of the refractive index of the emulsion droplets with that of the glycerol medium only at certain wavelengths of light – other wavelengths of light scatter. Polymerization of the brightly colored emulsions yields three different latex morphologies depending upon the polymerization temperature and the type of emulsifier, monomer, initiator, or hydrocarbon applied. The latex morphologies obtained range from large porous latex (1–10 μm in size) to medium-sized porous latex (0.1–1 μm in size) to small latex (up to 0.1 μm in size). Electronic Publication     

Synthesis of colored cobalt-containing shell powders from silicon oxide particles

Possibility of synthesizing core microstructures composed of a core-forming material (silicon dioxide micrograins) and shell of cobalt oxides, formed as a result of precipitation of the corresponding hydroxides from a cobalt(II) chloride solution and their subsequent thermal decomposition, was studied.     

Determination of extinction coefficients of short-lived colored forms of spiropyrans

Conclusions The extinction coefficients of the short-lived colored form of some spiropyrans of the phenanthridine series were determined for the first time.Translated from Izvestiya Akademii Nauk SSSR, Seriya Khimicheskaya, No. 3, pp. 643–644, March, 1979.     

Transport processes in the sorption of colored ions by peat particles

A three-step model has been proposed for the adsorption of Astrazone Blue dye (Basic Blue 69) on peat. The initial rate of uptake of dye ions due to physical adsorption and chemisorption (ion exchange) has been correlated using a surface mass transfer coefficient. These coefficients have been determined and expressed in the dimensionless mass transfer form, Sh/Sc^0.33, as a function of agitation, initial dye concentration, peat particle size range, dye solution temperature, and mass of peat.