A method of making a liquid dispersion for the manufacture of a photonic crystal. The method comprises dispersing monodispersed spheres in a liquid to form a liquid dispersion, and subjecting the liquid dispersion to an ultrasonic treatment. Ammonia solution may also be added to the liquid dispersion. The ultrasound treatment breaks up agglomerations of monodispersed spheres, and the resulting photonic crystal made using the dispersion is more highly ordered and hence of higher quality.

A method of making a liquid dispersion for the manufacture of a photonic crystal. The method comprises dispersing monodispersed spheres in a liquid to form a liquid dispersion, and subjecting the liquid dispersion to an ultrasonic treatment. Ammonia solution may also be added to the liquid dispersion. The ultrasound treatment breaks up agglomerations of monodispersed spheres, and the resulting photonic crystal made using the dispersion is more highly ordered and hence of higher quality.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

Porous metal oxide microspheres are prepared via a process comprising forming a liquid solution or dispersion of polydisperse polymer nanoparticles and a metal oxide; forming liquid droplets from the solution or dispersion; drying the liquid droplets to provide polymer template microspheres comprising polymer nanospheres and metal oxide; and removing the polymer nanospheres from the template microspheres to provide the porous metal oxide microspheres. The porous microspheres exhibit saturated colors and are suitable as colorants for a variety of end-uses.

A tubing string may include a swellable metal material for providing a seal downhole. The swellable metal material may react with a silica material and a water-based fluid to cause the swellable metal material to swell and form a seal within a flow path defined in part by the tubing string.

A display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel; and a backlight unit configured to provide light to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the backlight unit includes: a substrate; and a plurality of light emitting diode groups provided on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diode groups includes a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode, and a blue light emitting diode, wherein each of the red light emitting diode, the green light emitting diode, and the blue light emitting diode includes: a light emitting layer; and a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) provided on the light emitting layer, and wherein reflectivities of the distributed Bragg reflectors of the red light emitting diode, the green light emitting diode, and the blue light emitting diode are within a same range of reflectivity according to an incident angle of light incident on the distributed Bragg reflectors.

A display apparatus includes a liquid crystal panel; and a backlight unit configured to provide light to the liquid crystal panel, wherein the backlight unit includes: a substrate; and a plurality of light emitting diode groups provided on an upper surface of the substrate, wherein each of the plurality of light emitting diode groups includes a red light emitting diode, a green light emitting diode, and a blue light emitting diode, wherein each of the red light emitting diode, the green light emitting diode, and the blue light emitting diode includes: a light emitting layer; and a distributed Bragg reflector (DBR) provided on the light emitting layer, and wherein reflectivities of the distributed Bragg reflectors of the red light emitting diode, the green light emitting diode, and the blue light emitting diode are within a same range of reflectivity according to an incident angle of light incident on the distributed Bragg reflectors.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming a two-dimensional silicon oxide negative electroactive material. The methods include contacting a two-dimensional silicon allotrope and an oxidizing agent in an environment having a temperature of greater than or equal to about 25° C. to less than or equal to about 1,000° C., where the contacting of the two-dimensional silicon allotrope and the oxidizing agent causes the two-dimensional silicon allotrope to oxidize and form the two-dimensional silicon oxide negative electroactive material. In certain variations, the oxidizing agent includes oxygen and the contacting of the two-dimensional silicon allotrope and the oxidizing agent may include disposing the two-dimensional silicon allotrope in an oxygen-containing environment comprising less than or equal to about 21% of oxygen. In other variations, the oxidizing agent includes a wet chemical agent.

The present disclosure provides methods for forming a two-dimensional silicon oxide negative electroactive material. The methods include contacting a two-dimensional silicon allotrope and an oxidizing agent in an environment having a temperature of greater than or equal to about 25° C. to less than or equal to about 1,000° C., where the contacting of the two-dimensional silicon allotrope and the oxidizing agent causes the two-dimensional silicon allotrope to oxidize and form the two-dimensional silicon oxide negative electroactive material. In certain variations, the oxidizing agent includes oxygen and the contacting of the two-dimensional silicon allotrope and the oxidizing agent may include disposing the two-dimensional silicon allotrope in an oxygen-containing environment comprising less than or equal to about 21% of oxygen. In other variations, the oxidizing agent includes a wet chemical agent.

An ultra-white granular silica-based filler comprises at least 99.5 wt. % silica, wherein the crystal structure of the silica is such that the silica-based filler comprises 40 to 80 wt. % cristobalite, 1 to 25 wt. % tridymite, 2-60 wt. % quartz and <5 wt. % amorphous silica, wherein the temperature of the ultra-white granular silica-based filler is no higher than 50° C. and further wherein the ultra-white granular silica-based filler exhibits an L* value in the CIELAB color space of 95-98. In addition, an ultra-white powder filler is obtained by milling, grinding or comminuting the ultra-white granular silica-based filler. The ultra-white powder filler exhibits an L* value in the CIELAB color space of 95-98.5.