A simple and rapid coating technique for large area colloidal crystal film is demonstrated. Aqueous polymeric colloidal dispersion sandwiched between a top-cell and a bottom substrate formed a flat meniscus at the drying front, from which high quality opal films were obtained over large area (>5cm2 ) within 30min due to the strong capillary force by accelerated water evaporation aided by air blowing. Continuous supply of the suspension enabled the fabrication of the colloidal crystal without significant loss of colloids. A collolidal dispersion in mixed water/alcohol enabled a well ordered colloidal film formation on a flexible PET substrate. If aqueous binary colloidal dispersion of polystyrene (PS)/TiO2 nanoparticles is slide-coated on a FTO glass substrate, a composite colloidal crystal film was obtained in which sub-micron PS spheres are imbedded within nano-sized TiO2 matrix. Subsequent thermal calcinations resulted in of TiO2 inverse opal structure on FTO which could be directly used for highly efficient photoelectrode for dye-sensitized solar cell (DSSC).

Slide coating of well-ordered colloidal photonic crystal films on various substrates

243rd National Meeting (2012)

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