The structural coloration of textile materials using self-assembled silica nanoparticles

Weihong Gao,Huw Owens,Muriel Rigout

doi:10.1007/s11051-017-3991-7

Abstract

The work presented investigates how to produce structural colours on textile materials by applying a surface coating of silica nanoparticles (SNPs). Uniform SNPs with particle diameters in a controlled micron size range (207–350 nm) were synthesized using a Stöber-based solvent varying (SV) method which has been reported previously. Photonic crystals (PCs) were formed on the surface of a piece of textile fabric through a process of natural sedimentation self-assembly of the colloidal suspension containing uniform SNPs. Due to the uniformity and a particular diameter range of the prepared SNPs, structural colours were observed from the fabric surface due to the Bragg diffraction of white light with the ordered structure of the silica PCs. By varying the mean particle diameter, a wide range of spectral colours from red to blue were obtained. The comparison of structural colours on fabrics and on glasses suggests that a smooth substrate is critical when producing materials with high colour intensity and spatial uniformity. This work suggested a promising approach to colour textile materials without the need for traditional dyes and/or pigments.Graphical abstract

Highlights

A photonic crystal (PC) is a periodic three-dimensional nanostructured system, which has the ability to control the propagation of light (Joannopoulos et al 2011)
Structural colours were successfully produced on the fabric substrates through the self-assembly of silica nanoparticles (SNPs)
The results of synthesized uniform SNPs are presented in the BUniformity and size range of SNPs^ section, and this is followed by an investigation of the surface morphology of silica PC on fabric substrate in the BSelf-assembly behaviour of SNPs on glass and fabric substrates^ section

Summary

Introduction

A photonic crystal (PC) is a periodic three-dimensional nanostructured system, which has the ability to control the propagation of light (Joannopoulos et al 2011). The application of silica colloids for the structural coloration of textile materials has rarely been reported This is probably due to the difficulties in controlling the diameters of SNPs in a particular size range. Due to the uniformity of the sphere shape and the diameter range of SNPs in the self-assembled structure, the resulting opal PC films diffract incident white light, giving rise to a range of spectral colours from violet to red. Samples were graded from 0 (not resistant to light) to 8 (very light fast) using a standard blue wool scale, depending on the lightness difference between the samples and wool standards

Results and discussion

Conclusions

Compliance with ethical standards