CHAPTER 8: Bioinspired Fabrication of Colloidal Photonic Crystals with Controllable Optical Properties and Wettability

This chapter refers to the fabrication of colloidal photonic crystals (PCs) with controlled optic properties and wettability by well‐designed latex particles. First, the static or dynamic wettability of colloidal PCs could be effectively modulated by modifying the surface chemical composition or the surface roughness of the latex particles. Secondly, the optic properties of the colloidal PCs could be effectively tuned by infiltrating the response materials into the interstice of opal template. These responsive materials could extend or shrink their volume under the exterior stimuli, which varies the periodic structure/refractive index and accordingly results in the change of the optic properties of the resultant colloidal PCs. Thirdly, large‐scale colloidal PCs could be fabricated by spray coating and inkjet printing. Finally, extended applications of the colloidal PCs have been demonstrated in ultrasensitive detecting, high‐efficiency photoluminent, high‐performance information storage and etc. This simple fabrication and modulation of the colloidal PCs will be of great significance for its practical applications.