hide
Free keywords:
Block Copolymers
Interfacial Engineering
Microplastic Substitutes
Photonic Crystals
Self-Assembly
Dynamic light scattering
Emulsification
Environmental protection
Block co polymers
Eco-friendly
Interfacial self assemblies
Microbeads
Microplastic substitute
Microplastics
Porous structures
Structural color
Toxic dyes
Self assembly
macrogol
polyester
polymer
water
chemical phenomena
chemistry
emulsion
Emulsions
Hydrophobic and Hydrophilic Interactions
Polyesters
Polyethylene Glycols
Polymers
Abstract:
Biodegradable photonic microspheres with structural colors are promising substitutes to polluting microbeads and toxic dyes. Here, amphiphilic polyester-block-poly(ethylene glycol) bottlebrush block copolymers (BBCPs) with polylactic acid or poly(ϵ-caprolactone) as the hydrophobic block are synthesized and used to fabricate eco-friendly photonic pigments. Molecular parameters of BBCPs, including rigidity and symmetry, are precisely tailored by variation of side chain lengths, which enables effective manipulation of interfacial tension (γ). Organized spontaneous emulsion mechanism is enabled only when γ falls in a suitable range (10.6–14.3 mN m−1), producing ordered water-in-oil-in-water multiple emulsions and ordered porous structures. Consequently, highly saturated and tunable structural colors are observed due to coherent light scattering from the porous structures. Such photonic materials are nontoxic as confirmed by careful safety tests using aquatic model organisms. © 2022 Wiley-VCH GmbH.
