Preparation and thermo-responsive light diffraction behaviors of soft polymerized crystalline colloidal arrays

We report the formation and light diffraction behavior of polymerized crystalline colloidal arrays (PCCA) based on lightly cross-linked thermosensitive particles of poly(,-diethylacrylamide---ethylacrylamide--2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate) in both thermosensitive and non-thermosensitive matrices. The formation process of the crystalline colloidal arrays (CCA) and the temperature-dependent light diffraction behavior of PCCAs are investigated and rationalized by the use of Flory's polymer solution and rubber elasticity theories. The light diffraction behaviors of the PCCAs studied were found to display one and two temperature transitions in non-thermosensitive and thermosensitive matrices, respectively. The effects of ionic strength and pH on PCCA films have also been investigated.