Defined self-assembly of structural colour pigments (A05)

• Subject Area: Mechanical Process Engineering
• Term: since 2020
• Project identifier: Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft (DFG) - Project number 416229255

The objective of A05 is the production of structural colour pigments by self-assembly. We will focus on the formation of characteristic structural defects occurring in confined particle self-assembly, comparing thermodynamic and kinetic process conditions. In addition, non-ideal properties of primary particles (such as size distri-butions), and self-assembled structures (such as crack formation) will be considered in the evaluation and robust optimisation of the resultant optical properties. The lower degree of order provides a wider parameter space and thus more flexibility for an optimisationdriven design of structurally coloured materials, and an avenue towards scalable production using less-defined starting materials and fast spray drying processes.

• DFG Programme: Collaborative Research Centres
• Subproject of: SFB 1411: Design of particulate products
• Applicant Institution: Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen-Nürnberg
• Project Head: Professor Dr. Nicolas Vogel