Low-cost and easily prepared rewritable silica photonic crystal pigment used for paper and textile

By serving aqueous microdroplet in reversed-phase microemulsion as sol-gel reaction space, and reaction condition was just mild stationary, then various sizes of monodispersed silica nanoparticles could be readily constructed without any specialized device or extra step, during adjustment of reacting doses of catalyst and modifier. Wonderfully, diverse nano-silica powders were painted onto black paper and polyester textile to produce multifarious structural colors like drawing, and which did not require liquid assistance, thus such nano-silica was applied as new-type rewritable silica photonic crystal pigment (RSPP) for implementing non-liquid-assisted structural coloration of artistic graphics design. In addition to the endowment of physical color, self-developed RSPP painted polyester fabric possessed with preeminent capability in anti-ultraviolet, meanwhile the combination of RSPP and UV-photoluminescent phytochrome could perform visualizing information encryption based on switchable fluorescent display. Furthermore, by means of cyclic dip-coating, the RSPP-coated fabric was also provided with structure-color state, and the color mixing behavior of two kinds of RSPP, with relatively large difference in particle size, was easily realized. It is believed that such RSPP product, that exerts rewritable structural coloration ability, has promotional value and practical significance in the field of combination of art and technology. • This physical color pigment is synthesized via reverse microemulsion method. • Rewritable structural coloration can be realized by non-liquid-assisted painting. • Such product implements applications of ultraviolet-proof and information encryption. • Physical color mixture appears on dip-coated fabric.