Temperature‐Time‐Dependent Dynamic Pattern From Multi‐Inks Printing Based on Chiral Helix Superstructure

Abstract Blue phase liquid crystal (BPLC) dynamic patterns have attracted wide attention for promising applications in optical information manipulation and visualization sensing, owing to unique 3D chiral helix superstructure and adjustable bright/abundant colors in response to extra fields. Inkjet printing has become an efficient approach for achieving programmable BPLC patterns. However, it remains a challenge to achieve independent “on/off” control of regional colors using the same ink due to unrevealed temperature‐time‐dependent color change behavior determined by different inks. Herein, a comprehensive understanding of the reflective bandgap shift law versus temperature/time is established by investigating the diffusion kinetics of multiple inks (5CB, 6CB, 8CB) in hydrophobically modified blue‐phase polymer templates. The three inks induce a redshift followed by a blueshift in color/reflectance wavelengths, but triggering times differ significantly at the same temperature, which is attributed to the inks' phase transition characteristics, fluid properties, and interaction with the BPLC polymer network. Dynamic multi‐color patterns with selective region triggering are successfully fabricated based on the time‐temperature controlled multi‐ink printing technique for displaying time‐series information and multi‐level encryption (including “growing apple tree” and “nested QR codes”). This study provides important insights into the design and fabrication of advanced optical devices with programmable colors and patterns.