COLOUR · bio-inspired full-speCtrum blOck-copoLymer phOtonic strUctuRal pigments

bio-inspired full-speCtrum blOck-copoLymer phOtonic strUctuRal pigments

COLOUR addresses the need for sustainable, vibrant, and non-toxic pigments for applications such as coatings, cosmetics, packaging and optical devices. Conventional pigments can be toxic, fade over time, and rely on environmentally burdensome production routes. In contrast, many of nature’s most brilliant colours arise from structural colouration, where periodic nanostructures manipulate light to generate intense, durable hues without relying on molecular dyes. COLOUR therefore set out to develop bio-inspired photonic pigments based on the self-assembly of block copolymers (BCPs), with the long-term goal of enabling colourants that are non-fading, non-toxic and environmentally compatible. The project pathway to impact is based on establishing a scalable materials platform and progressively increasing optical performance and application readiness. COLOUR pursued four scientific objectives: (1) developing and optimising confined BCP self-assembly routes to produce photonic microparticles with controllable nanostructure and tunable colour; (2) enhancing brightness by increasing refractive-index contrast through organic/inorganic high-index strategies and hybrid photonic structures; (3) improving colour saturation by integrating absorption approaches that suppress incoherent scattering while preserving reflectance; (4) translating the resulting pigments into macroscopic coatings/paint demonstrators. In the final project phase, the work consolidated robust fabrication protocols, expanded morphology control (including anisotropic architectures enabling angle-dependent optical response), demonstrated higher loading of inorganic nanomaterials while maintaining photonic order, and produced application-oriented coating/paint demonstrators. COLOUR integrates concepts and methods from polymer chemistry, soft-matter physics, photonics and materials science. Its expected impacts are technological and societal: replacing hazardous or fading pigment chemistries with structurally coloured alternatives that support sustainability-driven industrial transitions. In the European policy context, the project aligns with the European Green Deal and broader circular-economy objectives by advancing safer materials and scalable approaches that can reduce environmental harm. Potential impact at scale includes adoption in sectors where colourants are used in large volumes (decorative coatings, packaging) as well as higher-value applications (functional surfaces, sensing and anti-counterfeiting concepts enabled by photonic materials). No specific integration of social sciences and humanities was required for this topic.

Data: CORDIS, © European Union