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

Abstract

One or more aspects of the present disclosure provide optical element transfer structures that include an optical element releasably coupled with a transfer medium and methods of making and using the optical element transfer structures. The optical element transfer structures can be used to dispose an optical element onto an article, whereby the optical element imparts a structural color to the article.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An optical element transfer structure comprising:
 a transfer medium having a first surface and a second surface, and   an optical element having a first side and a second side opposite the first side, wherein the first side is disposed on at least a portion of the first surface of the transfer medium, wherein the optical element includes an optical layer.   
     
     
         2 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first surface of the transfer medium includes a release material comprising polyolefins, silicones, polyurethanes, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         3 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 2 , wherein the release material has a softening or melting temperature of from about 105 degrees C. to about 140 degrees C. 
     
     
         4 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second surface of the transfer medium comprises cellulose. 
     
     
         5 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer medium is release paper. 
     
     
         6 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the optical element has a thickness of about 50 nm to about 500 nm. 
     
     
         7 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the second side of the optical element further comprises a thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         8 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic material has a softening or melting point of from about 80 degrees C. to about 140 degrees C. 
     
     
         9 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic material comprises an elastomeric thermoplastic material. 
     
     
         10 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 7 , wherein the thermoplastic material includes one or more thermoplastic polyurethanes. 
     
     
         11 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the transfer medium has a first textured surface and a second surface on the side opposite the first textured surface, and the first side of the optical element is disposed on the first textured surface of the transfer medium, wherein the optical element includes one or more optical layers and has a second side on the side opposite the first side, wherein the first side of the optical element is releasably coupled with the a release material to the first textured surface. 
     
     
         12 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the at least a portion of the optical element disposed on the component exhibits a structural color, and the structural color is an angle-independent structural color in that the hue, the hue and value, or the hue, value and chroma observed is independent of the angle of observation 
     
     
         13 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the article is footwear, a component of footwear, an article of apparel, a component of apparel, an article of sporting equipment, or a component of sporting equipment. 
     
     
         14 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein the first textured surface of the transfer medium includes a release material comprising polyolefins, silicones, polyurethanes, or a combination thereof. 
     
     
         15 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 1 , wherein a primer layer is disposed between the textured surface and the optical element. 
     
     
         16 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 15 , wherein the primer layer comprises a paint or ink or a reground and at least partially degraded polymer. 
     
     
         17 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 15 , wherein the primer layer is an oxide layer. 
     
     
         18 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 15 , wherein the primer layer has a thickness of about 1 to about 200 micrometers. 
     
     
         19 . The optical element transfer structure of  claim 12 , wherein the angle-independent structural color displays the same hue or substantially the same hue when viewed from at least 3 different angles that are at least 15 degrees apart from each other to the component.