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Structural Colors from Ultrathin Lignin Films
KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Fibre- and Polymer Technology, Polymeric Materials. Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Fibre- and Polymer Technology, Polymeric Materials.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5790-2932
KTH, School of Engineering Sciences in Chemistry, Biotechnology and Health (CBH), Fibre- and Polymer Technology.ORCID iD: 0000-0002-5444-7276
Key Laboratory of Bio-based Material Science and Technology of the Ministry of Education, Northeast Forestry University, Harbin, 150040, China.
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2026 (English)In: Advanced Optical Materials, ISSN 2162-7568, E-ISSN 2195-1071, Vol. 14, no 5, article id e03381Article in journal (Refereed) Published
Abstract [en]

Structural colors offer a sustainable alternative to toxic pigments and dyes, yet their realization from lignin, the most abundant aromatic biopolymer, has remained elusive. Whereas cellulose has enabled a wide range of bio-based photonic architectures, lignin has primarily been explored in the form of colloidal nanoparticles. Here, a paradigm shift is demonstrated: vivid, tunable structural colors generated directly from ultrathin lignin films. By simply varying film thickness, a continuous color palette spanning the visible spectrum, overcoming the need for nanoparticle synthesis or self-assembly, is accessed. The films show high stiffness, modest angular dependence, and rapid humidity responsiveness, pointing toward scalable applications in coatings, sensors, and sustainable photonics. This work redefines lignin from an industrial waste product to a functional optical material, opening new directions in biomass-based coloration.

Place, publisher, year, edition, pages
Wiley , 2026. Vol. 14, no 5, article id e03381
Keywords [en]
kraft lignin, spin coating, structural colors, thin film interference
National Category
Materials Chemistry Paper, Pulp and Fiber Technology
Identifiers
URN: urn:nbn:se:kth:diva-375707DOI: 10.1002/adom.202503381ISI: 001650860400001Scopus ID: 2-s2.0-105026313959OAI: oai:DiVA.org:kth-375707DiVA, id: diva2:2029702
Note

QC 20260119

Available from: 2026-01-19 Created: 2026-01-19 Last updated: 2026-02-09Bibliographically approved

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An, BangMao, AnranPettersson, TorbjörnSvagan, Anna JustinaShanker, Ravi

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