Efficient white light scattering photonic bandgap crystal

1. A photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material comprising a self-assembled crystalline colloidal array (CCA) of monodisperse highly-charged spherical particles having a strong acid group on their surfaces dispersed in a medium and solidified, wherein the CCA has multiple ordered planes capable of diffracting light throughout one or more spectral regions for light incident over a plurality of angles, and

wherein the photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material has lattice constants and diffraction wavelengths tunable via temperature or hydrolysis or binding of chemical species.

2. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 1 having a photonic bandgap for light in the visible and near-IR for light incident over the plurality of angles.

3. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 1 having a photonic bandgap for light in the visible range of wavelengths less than about 700 nm.

4. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 1 , wherein the monodisperse spherical particles comprise polystyrene.

5. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 1 , further comprising a polymerized CCA in a hydrogel.

6. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 5 , comprising a self-assembled CCA of monodisperse highly-charged polystyrene spheres polymerized in an acrylamide hydrogel.

7. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 6 , wherein the acrylamide hydrogel is partially hydrolyzed.

8. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 6 , wherein the acrylamide hydrogel volume or the CCA lattice constant is tunable via hydrolysis.

9. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 5 , wherein the photonic bandgap spectral region is reversibly tunable.

10. The photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material of claim 1 , wherein the refractive index of the spherical particles is different, smaller or greater than the refractive index of the medium.

11. A method of forming a photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material comprising the step of:

self-assembling, in a liquid medium, monodisperse highly-charged spherical particles having a strong acid group on their surfaces into a crystalline colloidal array (CCA), wherein the CCA has multiple ordered planes capable of diffracting light throughout one or more spectral regions for light incident over a plurality of angles; and solidifying the medium, and

wherein the photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material has lattice constants and diffraction wavelengths tunable via temperature or hydrolysis or binding of chemical species.

12. The method of claim 11 , further comprising polymerizing a hydrogel polymer around the CCA and hydrolyzing the hydrogel in-whole or in-part.

13. The method of claim 12 , wherein the monodisperse highly-charged spherical particles comprise polystyrene and the hydrogel comprises polyacrylamide.

14. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material has a bandgap for light in the visible and near-IR for light incident over the plurality of angles.

15. The method of claim 11 , wherein the photonic bandgap crystal or photonic bandgap crystal material has a photonic bandgap for light in the visible range of wavelengths less than about 700 nm.

16. Light scattering particles for use in paints and coatings, comprising: a material comprising a self-assembled crystalline colloidal array (CCA) of monodisperse highly-charged spherical particles having a strong acid group on their surface dispersed in a medium, solidified and produced into the light scattering particles;

wherein the CCA has multiple ordered planes that diffract light throughout one or more spectral regions for light incident over a plurality of angles, and

wherein the material has lattice constants and diffraction wavelengths tunable via temperature or hydrolysis or binding of chemical species.

17. The light scattering particles of claim 16 , wherein the material has a photonic bandgap for light in the visible and near-IR for light incident over the plurality of angles.

18. The light scattering particles of claim 16 , wherein the material has a photonic bandgap for light in the visible range of wavelengths less than about 700 nm.

19. A paint or coating comprising a base and the light scattering particles of claim 16 .