TY - JOUR
T1 - Programmable Phase Transitions in a Photonic Microgel System
T2 - Linking Soft Interactions to a Temporal pH Gradient
AU - Go, Dennis
AU - Rommel, Dirk
AU - Chen, Lisa
AU - Shi, Feng
AU - Sprakel, Joris
AU - Kuehne, Alexander J.C.
PY - 2017
Y1 - 2017
N2 - Soft amphoteric microgel systems exhibit a rich phase behavior. Crystalline phases of these material systems are of interest because they exhibit photonic stop-gaps, giving rise to iridescent color. Such microgel systems are promising for applications in soft, switchable, and programmable photonic filters and devices. We here report a composite microgel system consisting of a hard and fluorescently labeled core and a soft, amphoteric microgel shell. At pH above the isoelectric point (IEP), these colloids easily crystallize into three-dimensional colloidal assemblies. By adding a cyclic lactone to the system, the temporal pH profile can be controlled, and the microgels can be programmed to melt, while they lose charge. When the microgels gain the opposite charge, they recrystallize into assemblies of even higher order. We provide a model system to study the dynamic phase behavior of soft particles and their switchable and programmable photonic effects.
AB - Soft amphoteric microgel systems exhibit a rich phase behavior. Crystalline phases of these material systems are of interest because they exhibit photonic stop-gaps, giving rise to iridescent color. Such microgel systems are promising for applications in soft, switchable, and programmable photonic filters and devices. We here report a composite microgel system consisting of a hard and fluorescently labeled core and a soft, amphoteric microgel shell. At pH above the isoelectric point (IEP), these colloids easily crystallize into three-dimensional colloidal assemblies. By adding a cyclic lactone to the system, the temporal pH profile can be controlled, and the microgels can be programmed to melt, while they lose charge. When the microgels gain the opposite charge, they recrystallize into assemblies of even higher order. We provide a model system to study the dynamic phase behavior of soft particles and their switchable and programmable photonic effects.
U2 - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b04433
DO - 10.1021/acs.langmuir.6b04433
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:85014053849
SN - 0743-7463
VL - 33
SP - 2011
EP - 2016
JO - Langmuir
JF - Langmuir
IS - 8
ER -