A facile photoinitiated polymerisation route for the preparation of photonic elastomers with chiral nematic order

Photonic crystal elastomers that can change colour upon stretching or compression have potential applications in mechanical sensors and optical coatings. However, facile synthetic strategies are required for these materials to be made on a commercially viable scale. To address this issue, we report photoinitiated polymerisation method prepare stretchable chiral nematic cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) elastomer composites exhibit reversible visible the application of stress. The initial CNC-elastomer composite is colourless, but when it stretched (or compressed), helical pitch structure reduced lengths corresponding wavelengths region, resulting colouration. By increasing percentage elongation material (ca. 50–300%), structural tuned from red blue. was characterised by reflectance spectroscopy circular dichroism confirm wavelength polarisation reflected light.