Environment-friendly coating with good weather resistance prepared by amorphous photonic crystals and water-dispersible resin

Traditional coatings are fabricated from chemical colorants and oleoresinous resins. However, chemical colorants and organic solvents as diluents of oleoresinous resins are pollutant for environment. Herein, environment-friendly coatings with good weather resistance are proposed by using amorphous photonic crystals (APC) and water-dispersible resins. Monodispersed silica spheres are used for producing APC and structural color. And the water-dispersible epoxy resin has a good weather resistance property. After environment-friendly coatings are submerged in toluene, acidic solution (pH = 2) and alkaline solution (pH = 12) for 2040, 840 and 840 h, respectively, the coatings are still intact, and they do not fade. The environment-friendly coatings also are able to withstand the test of 336 h under ultraviolet light. The coatings have great potential applications in displays, decorations and automotive coatings. •Environment-friendly coatings are proposed by using amorphous photonic crystals and water-dispersible resins.•The environment-friendly coatings have excellent chemical resistant properties.•The coatings are able to withstand the test of 336 h under ultraviolet light.