Preparation of disperse dye@P(St-BA-MAA) microsphere inks and their application on white textile substrates with high color saturation

Abstract

The patterned photonic crystals (PCs) with structural color have attracted special attention in the development of high-performance optical materials and tunable structurally colored fashion textiles. However, how to construct PC structures with high color saturation directly on white substrates remains a huge challenge, especially in the textile field. In this study, disperse dye@poly (styrene–butyl acrylate–methacrylate acid) (P(St–BA–MAA)) microspheres are prepared as the only structural units, in which the black disperse dyes are coated inside the microspheres, and the related PCs on white textile substrates are fabricated by ink-jet printing technology. The resultant patterned PCs display bright and vivid structural colors with high color saturation, which is mainly due to the strong absorption ability of the black disperse dye in the disperse dye@P(St–BA–MAA) microspheres to stray light. It is concluded that this research could provide a theoretical basis for preparing PCs of high color saturation by ink-jet printing technology on white substrates.