Colorful cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network patterns prepared using cholesteric liquid crystal inks

Colourful cholesteric liquid crystal polymer network (CLCN) patterns can be applied for decoration and anti-counterfeiting. Herein, the CLC inks were prepared using an acrylate liquid crystal, chiral dopants and a photoinitiator. Full-colour CLCN patterns were able to be printed out using only two CLC inks by changing their volume ratio. A structure with a gradient helical pitch was identified between different colours. For anti-counterfeiting, the colour patterns composed of opposite-handed CLCNs were also printed. A helical-nonhelical-helical structure was identified at the interface. In addition, CLCN patterns with a grating structure were also prepared. The results shown here not only give us a better understanding the cholesteric structure, but also lay the foundations for the applications of CLCN patterns in the fields of decoration and anti-counterfeiting.