Structurally-colored articles and methods for making and using structurally-colored articles

Abstract

As described above, one or more aspects of the present disclosure provide articles having structural color, and methods of making articles having structural color. The article can include the optical element (e.g., a single layer reflector, a single layer filter, a multilayer reflector or a multilayer filter) including one or more layers (e.g., a reflective layer(s), a constituent layer(s), and the like). The surface of the article can include areas of the surface that are at different relative heights from one another and can impart different structural colors.

We claim: 
     
         1 . A structure comprising:
 an optical element disposed on a surface of an article, wherein the surface of the article includes a base surface and a second surface, wherein the second surface has a first vertical height relative to the base surface,   wherein the optical element includes a first section disposed on the base surface of the article and a second section disposed on the second surface of the article, wherein the first section of the optical element imparts a first structural color to the base surface of the article, wherein the second section of the optical element imparts a second structural color to the second surface of the article, and wherein the first structural color and the second structural color differ from each other when viewed from the same angle of observation by a person having 20/20 visual acuity and normal color vision from a distance of about 1 meter from the article under the same lighting conditions,   wherein the optical element comprises at least one constituent layer, wherein the number of constituent layer(s) of the first section and the second section are the same.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the optical element includes one constituent layer, wherein the first section and the second section have one constituent layer, and wherein the thickness of the constituent layer of the first section and the second section are different. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein the material of each of the corresponding constituent layers of the first section and the second section consist essentially of the same material. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the optical element includes 2-50 constituent layers, wherein the number of constituent layers of the first section and the second section are the same, and wherein the thickness of at least two of the 2-50 corresponding constituent layers of the first section is different from the thickness of the corresponding constituent layers in the second section. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the first vertical height is at least 0.5 millimeter. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein a thickness of at least one of the constituent layers of the first section is different from a thickness of the corresponding constituent layer of the second section. 
     
     
         7 . A structure comprising:
 an optical element disposed on a surface of an article, wherein the surface of the article includes a base surface and at least a first surface and a second surface, wherein the first surface has a first vertical height relative to the base surface and the second surface has a second vertical height relative to the base surface,   wherein the optical element includes a first section disposed on the first surface of the article and a second section disposed on the second surface of the article, wherein the first section of the optical element imparts a first structural color to the first surface of the article, wherein the second section of the optical element imparts a second structural color to the second surface of the article, and wherein the first structural color and the second structural color differ from each other when viewed from the same angle of observation by a person having 20/20 visual acuity and normal color vision from a distance of about 1 meter from the article under the same lighting conditions,   wherein the optical element comprises at least one constituent layer, wherein the number of constituent layer(s) of the first section and the second section are the same.   
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the first vertical height and the second vertical height are different by about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters. 
     
     
         9 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein a thickness of at least one of the constituent layers of the first section is different from a thickness of the corresponding constituent layer of the second section. 
     
     
         10 . The article of  claim 7 , wherein the surface of the article includes at least the first section, the second section, and a third section, wherein the third section has a third vertical height relative to the base surface, wherein the third vertical height is different by about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters millimeters from one or both of the first vertical height and the second vertical height, wherein the third section is disposed on a third region of the article, wherein the third section of the optical element imparts a third structural color to the third region of the article, and wherein the first structural color, the second structural color, and the third structural color are each different when viewed from the same angle of observation by a person having 20/20 visual acuity and normal color vision from a distance of about 1 meter from the article under the same lighting conditions, wherein the number of constituent layer(s) of the first section, the second section, and the third section are the same, and the thickness of at least one of the corresponding constituent layers of the first section, the second section, and the third section are different. 
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein the element includes one constituent layer, wherein the first section and the second section have one constituent layer, and wherein the thickness of the constituent layer of the first section and the second section are different, wherein the material of each of the corresponding constituent layers of the first section and the second section consist essentially of the same material, wherein the optical element includes 2-50 constituent layers, wherein the number of constituent layers of the first section and the second section are the same, and wherein the thickness of at least two of the 2-50 corresponding constituent layers of the first section and the second section are different. 
     
     
         12 . A structure comprising:
 an optical element disposed on a surface of an article, wherein the surface has a base surface and has one or more protrusions having a protrusion surface, or one or more indentations having an indentation surface, or both one or more protrusions and one or more indentations;   wherein the optical element includes at least a first section disposed on the base surface, a second section disposed on the protrusion surfaces, or a third section disposed on the indentation surfaces, or disposed on two of each of the base surfaces, the protrusion surfaces, or the indentation surfaces; wherein the first section of the optical element imparts a first structural color to the base surface, the second section of the optical element imparts a second structural color to the protrusion surface, and the third section imparts a third structural color to the indentation surface, and wherein at least a pair of the first structural color, the second structural color, and the third structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation by a person having 20/20 visual acuity and normal color vision from a distance of about 1 meter from the article under the same lighting conditions;   wherein the optical element includes a first height difference between at least one pair of the base surface, the protrusion surface, or the indention surface;   wherein the optical element comprises at least one constituent layer, wherein the number of constituent layer(s) of two or three of the first section, the second section, and the third section are the same.   
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the base surface and the protrusion surface have a first height difference of about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters, wherein the base surface of the optical element imparts the first structural color, wherein the protrusion surface of the optical element imparts the second structural color, and wherein the first structural color and the second structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the base surface and the indentation surface have a first height difference of about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters, wherein the base surface of the optical element imparts the first structural, wherein the indentation surface of the optical element imparts the third structural color, and wherein the first structural color and the third structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation. 
     
     
         15 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the protrusion surface and the indentation surface have a first height difference of about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters, wherein the protrusion surface of the optical element imparts the first structural, wherein the indentation surface of the optical element imparts the second structural color, and wherein the second structural color and the third structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation. 
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the protrusion surface and a second protrusion surface have a first height difference of about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters, wherein the protrusion surface of the optical element imparts the second structural color, wherein the second protrusion surface of the optical element imparts a fourth structural color, and wherein the second structural color and the fourth structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the indentation surface and a second indentation surface have a first height difference of about 0.5 millimeter to 10 centimeters, wherein the indentation surface of the optical element imparts the third structural color, wherein the second indentation surface of the optical element imparts a fifth structural color, and wherein the third structural color and the fifth structural color are different when viewed from the same angle of observation. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 12 , wherein the optical element includes one constituent layer, wherein each of the first section, the second section, and the third section have one constituent layer, and wherein the thickness of the constituent layer of at least two of the first section, the second section, and the third section are different, wherein the material of each of the corresponding constituent layers of the first section, the second section, and the third section consist essentially of the same material. 
     
     
         19 . A method of making an article, comprising: disposing the optical element of  claim 1  onto the surface of the article. 
     
     
         20 . An article comprising: a product of the method of  claim 19 .