Chemiluminescence emission in cholesteric liquid crystalline core–shell microcapsules

Abstract

Chemiluminescence behaviour in the core region of water/oil/water double emulsion droplets with cholesteric liquid crystalline (CLC) middle phase (CLC core–shell microcapsules) was demonstrated. We successfully fabricated CLC core–shell microcapsules containing an aqueous luminol solution as the inner phase using a microfluidic device, in which the helical axis of the CLC phase is normal to the surface. The CLC core–shell microcapsules proved to be a plausible candidate for highly sensitive H₂O₂ sensors because of the omnidirectional photonic structures of the CLC phase.