Facile full-color printing with a single transparent ink

Structural colors are promising candidates for their antifading and eco-friendly characteristics. However, high cost and complicated processing inevitably hinder their development. Here, we propose a facile full-color structural-color inkjet printing strategy with a single transparent ink from the common polymer materials. This structural color arisen from total internal reflections is prepared by digitally printing the dome-shaped microstructure (microdome) with well-controlled morphology. By controlling the ink volume and substrate wettability, the microdome color can be continuously regulated across whole visible regions. The gamut, saturation, and lightness of the printed structural- color image are precisely adjusted via the programmable arrangement of different microdomes. With the advantages of simple manufacturing and widely available inks, this color printing approach presents great potential in imaging, decoration, sensing, and biocompatible photonics.

Automated summary

The study introduces a simple full-color structural color inkjet printing strategy using a single transparent ink made from common polymer materials, preparing structural color by digitally printing microdome microstructures. By adjusting ink volume and substrate wettability, the color of microdomes can be continuously regulated; with programmable arrangement of different microdomes, the gamut, saturation, and lightness of the printed structural-color image can be precisely adjusted.