24035 Block co-polymer
A research group at the University of Sheffield have developed an opalescent (photonic) ink without the use of dyes. The material is suited to applications in printing, particularly in security.
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Researchers at the University of Sheffield have developed a film of a block copolymer dissolved in an acrylate blend. The block copolymer phase-separates in this blend to create a lamella phase. This lamella phase creates the optical colour shift effect. When the acrylates are exposed to UV irradiation they crosslink to form a hard chemically robust film. UV acrylates are commonly used in the print industry.
The domain size is large enough to reflect light, without the use of dyes.
The result is an opalescent film, the colour of which changes depending on the viewing angle.
For more information please download the non-confidential summary pdf from the link below:
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