Handwritable one-dimensional photonic crystals prepared from dendronized brush block copolymers

Second generation dendrons with six long alkyl groups and six benzyl groups as peripheral groups were modified into cis-5-norbornene-exo-2,3-dicarboxylicanhydride to prepare dendronized monomers. Consequently, dendronized brush block copolymers (denoted as PNAM-b-PNBzM) were prepared by the sequential ring-opening metathesis polymerization of the two dendronized monomers. One-dimensional photonic crystals (1D PCs) from ultraviolet, visible to near infrared wavelength were rapidly fabricated by the direct solvent evaporation of the PNAM-b-PNBzM polymer solution owing to the big steric hindrance of the side chain dendrons. Interestingly, colorful letters have been handwritten using Chinese brushes with the tetrahydrofuran solution of PNAM-b-PNBzM as the ink. The simple and convenient preparation of 1D PCs, especially the handwritable ones, showed great potential in reflective coatings as well as functional structural colors.