Durable Silver/Polystyrene/Polydimethylsiloxane Films with Bright Structural Colors for Displays

Structured colors have received a lot of attention due to their unique optical properties, and they have great potential for applications in areas such as energy-saving reflective displays, sensors, coatings, and optical components. However, large-scale manufacturing, low durability, and low color saturation limit their practical application to some extent. In this paper, the composite structure of a silver film/periodic particles/poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) (APPPC) colored film was designed by a simple and efficient self-assembly method. The self-assembly of polystyrene (PS) microspheres into an ordered structure can produce bright structural colors, and the Ag film as a reflective backing can increase the reflectivity and make the structural colors more saturated. A layer of PDMS on the surface improves the durability of the composite structure. The color of the structure can be modulated by changing the different diameters of the particles. By change of the rigid substrate to a flexible substrate, a flexible APPPC film with good flexibility can be prepared. The good durability and vibrant colors make it a great application prospect for land-based night-time traffic warnings and underwater warnings. The most important aspect of this study is that APPPC films can be prepared simply and quickly on a large area (25 × 25 cm2), making the mass production of a new generation of smart colored materials possible.