Photonic Nanopigments for Versatile and Scalable Coloration

Abstract

Structural colorants for ecological fabric dyeing are typically microscale colloidal arrays involving complex and time-consuming self-assembly, it remains a challenge to perform efficient and large-scale double-sided dyeing on disordered fabric surfaces without sacrificing wearing experience. Innovatively, A photonic nanopigment, composed of hollow silica nanospheres with disordered metasurfaces and high surface-charge is designed to overcome the aforementioned challenge. They individually generate non-iridescent structural colors without self-assembly and disperse uniformly in water. By a one-step dip-dyeing strategy, the photonic nanopigments are quickly and selectively deposited onto the yarn surface of fabrics, achieving high-quality double-sided structural coloration. Meanwhile, constructing a hydrogen bond crosslinking network between the fabric and nanospheres by adhesive and tannic acid greatly enhances colorfastness. Furthermore, the fabrics retain inherent softness and excellent breathability, as nanoscale pigments do not clog weaving holes. Such photonic nanopigments provide a versatile platform for industrial structural coloration of various fabrics with different surface roughness and weaving structures.