Download all files (7.9 MB)

Collection

Citation

Description:

Structural colors derived from colloidal crystals are gaining attention as new color materials that are non-toxic and minimize environmental pollution. Vivid structural colors were formed by coating glass and ceramics with a colloidal crystal (opal) thin film composed of silica particles. This paper focuses on reporting this thin film formation process. A milky-white suspension of silica particles (particle size 290 nm) precisely arranged on the substrate surface exhibited vivid red structural color after drying. The dip coating is not limited to flat substrates like glazed ceramics or glass; it is versatile and can be applied to curved surfaces, uneven surfaces, and even rough, unglazed ceramic surfaces. Optical evaluation utilized reflectance spectra. By employing silica opal films with varying particle sizes, diverse colors spanning the entire visible spectrum from blue to red were achieved. Furthermore, through heat treatment and modification to create a hydrophobic surface, stable structural color emission was enabled, preventing loss of color due to abrasion or wetting.

Rights:

• Creative Commons BY Attribution 4.0 International
  

Keyword: Silica colloid, Structural color, Colloidal crystal, Bragg's diffraction, Glaze, Hydrophobic

Date published: 2026-03-12

Publisher: Ceramic Society of Japan

Journal:

• Journal of the Ceramic Society of Japan (ISSN: 13486535) vol. 134 issue. 5 26016

Funding:

• 公益財団法人大倉和親記念財団 2024年度研究助成＜トラディショナルセラミックス研究部門＞ (構造色釉薬の創出：陶磁器に鮮明な構造色を付与するオパール薄膜塗工)

Manuscript type: Publisher's version (Version of record)

MDR DOI:

First published URL: https://doi.org/10.2109/jcersj2.26016

Related item:

Other identifier(s):

Contact agent:

Updated at: 2026-05-01 11:24:47 +0900

Published on MDR: 2026-05-01 14:22:47 +0900