Structural color originates from physical interactions of light with submicron ordered structures. Structural color is also the optimal candidate as a method for coloring contact lenses because of its vivid iridescence and being free of pigment. Here, we report a facile approach for fabricating a novel structural color contact lens by decorating with structural color paint through UV polymerization in a mould. The paints were fabricated by dispersing poly(methyl methacrylate-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PMH) nanoparticles in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) solvent without additional surfactants. The obtained structural color contact lenses showed high light transmission as well as gorgeous structural color, varying by adjusting the particle sizes. Moreover, cell viability assay and cell morphology observation revealed that the structural color contact lenses are cytocompatible. With high light transmission, gorgeous structural color, as well as good cytocompatibility, the structural color contact lenses are very promising as potential substitutes of traditional color contact lenses dyed by chemical pigments.

Organic functionalization of periodic mesoporous silicas (PMSs) offers a way to improve their excellent properties and wide applications owing to their structural superiority. In this study, a new strategy for organic functionalization of PMSs is demonstrated by hydrosilylation of the recently discovered “impossible” periodic mesoporous hydridosilica, meso-HSiO1.5. This method overcomes the disadvantages of present pathways for organic functionalization of PMSs with organosilica. Moreover, compared to the traditional functionalization on the surface of porous silicon by hydrosilylation, the template-synthesized meso-HSiO1.5 is more flexible to access functional-groups-loaded PMSs with adjustable microstructures. The new method and materials will have wider applications based on both the structure and surface superiorities.

A hybrid mesoporous photonic crystal vapor sensing chip was developed by introducing fluorescent dyes into mesoporous colloidal crystals. The sensing chip was capable of discriminating various kinds of vapors, as well as their concentrations, according to their fluorescence and reflective responses to vapor analytes.

Facile, fast, and cost-effective technology for patterning of responsive colloidal photonic crystals (CPCs) is of great importance for their practical applications. In this report, we develop a kind of responsive CPC patterns with multicolor shifting properties by inkjet printing mesoporous colloidal nanoparticle ink on both rigid and soft substrates. By adjusting the size and mesopores’ proportion of nanoparticles, we can precisely control the original color and vapor-responsive color shift extent of mesoporous CPC. As a consequence, multicolor mesoporous CPCs patterns with complex vapor responsive color shifts or vapor-revealed implicit images are subsequently achieved. The complicated and reversible multicolor shifts of mesoporous CPC patterns are favorable for immediate recognition by naked eyes but hard to copy. This approach is favorable for integration of responsive CPCs with controllable responsive optical properties. Therefore, it is of great promise for developing advanced responsive CPC devices such as anticounterfeiting devices, multifunctional microchips, sensor arrays, or dynamic displays.Keywords: colloidal photonic crystals; inkjet printing; mesoporous silica nanoparticles; pattern; vapor responsive;

Structural color originates from physical interactions of light with submicron ordered structures. Structural color is also the optimal candidate as a method for coloring contact lenses because of its vivid iridescence and being free of pigment. Here, we report a facile approach for fabricating a novel structural color contact lens by decorating with structural color paint through UV polymerization in a mould. The paints were fabricated by dispersing poly(methyl methacrylate-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) (PMH) nanoparticles in 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate (HEMA) solvent without additional surfactants. The obtained structural color contact lenses showed high light transmission as well as gorgeous structural color, varying by adjusting the particle sizes. Moreover, cell viability assay and cell morphology observation revealed that the structural color contact lenses are cytocompatible. With high light transmission, gorgeous structural color, as well as good cytocompatibility, the structural color contact lenses are very promising as potential substitutes of traditional color contact lenses dyed by chemical pigments.