Preparation of robust structural color film on cotton fabrics by caffeic acid

Abstract

Structural coloration holds significant promise for achieving ecological coloring of textiles. Caffeic acid, a natural plant polyphenol characterized by its cost-effectiveness, environmental friendliness, and non-toxic properties, has been identified as a key player in this context. It is found that caffeic acid can generate a polycaffeic acid (PCfA) nanofilm at the gas-liquid interface under certain conditions. In this work, caffeic acid was utilized to create thin film nanostructures by self-polymerization for the structural coloration of cotton fabrics, where the hue of the structural colors can be adjusted by polymerization time. Additionally, the incorporation of polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) into the system enhances the rubbing and washing fastness of the resultant structural colored fabric. The morphology of the structural color fabric was investigated by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the thickness of the films corresponding to the different colors were determined. This innovative approach presents a novel methodology for the development of robust structural color films.