Synthesis of highly charged, monodisperse polystyrene colloidal particles for the fabrication of photonic crystals

We have developed a series of emulsion polymerization recipes for the synth esis of highly charged, monodisperse polystyrene colloids of diameters betw een 100-400 mm. These spherical colloidal particles were crosslinked with d ivinyl benzene and functionalized with 1-allyloxy-2-hydroxypropane sulfonat e. These highly charged, monodisperse colloidal particles readily self-asse mble into robust three-dimensionally ordered crystalline colloidal arrays ( CCAs). These CCAs operate as photonic crystals that Bragg diffract light in the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared regions of the spectrum. (C) 2000 A cademic Press.