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

The work presented investigates the surface coating of textile materials using silica nanoparticles (SNPs). Uniform SNPs with particle diameters within a controlled micron-size range (207 nm - 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 fabric and glass substrates suggests that a smooth substrate is critical when producing materials with high colour intensity and spatial uniformity. This work provides a promising approach to colour textile materials without the need for traditional dyes and/or pigments.