Optical properties of silk fabrics with (SiO2/polyethyleneimine)n film fabricated by electrostatic self-assembly

Abstract

Structural coloration is a kind of biomimetic coloring technology. (Silica/polyethyleneimine) n (SiO2/PEI) n films with structural color on the surface of silk fabrics were fabricated by the electrostatic self-assembly method. The structural color of silk fabrics with (SiO2/PEI) n films was captured by a digital camera, and the reflectance spectra were measured by the DigiEye system and a multi-angle spectrophotometer. The morphological structure of (SiO2/PEI) n films on silk fabrics was observed by a field emission scanning electron microscope. The coloring mechanism of the silk fabrics is in agreement with single thin film interference theory, and the variability of the structural color on the silk fabrics is similar to those on polyester fabrics varying with the assembly cycles, particle sizes and viewing angles. However, the color brilliance, brightness and iridescence effect of the silk fabrics are inferior to those of polyester fabrics with the same films, due mainly to the differences in fiber surface structure and microstructure between silk fibers and polyester fibers.