Bio-inspired non-iridescent structural coloration enabled by self-assembled cellulose nanocrystal composite films with balanced ordered/disordered arrays

Cellulose nanocrystal (CNC) is an interesting polysaccharide nanomaterial that can self-assemble into a chiral nematic liquid crystalline structure in aqueous solution, producing brightly structural color upon selectively reflection of visible light. However, till now, only iridescent structural colors can be created by such colloidal array, making it impossible to be used as colorimetric sensors. Here, inspired by longhorn beetle having...