Fabrication of patterned images in photochromic organic microfibers

Photochromic spiropyran molecules were embedded in electrospun polymer microfibers. Electrospinning of a clear viscous chloroform solution containing a spiropyran and a matrix polymer, such as polystyrene and polyethylene oxide, affords polymer microfibers that are photoswitchable. Photomasked, 365 nm UV irradiation of the microfibers results in the generation of patterned color images owing to the selective transformation of the spiropyran molecules from their ring-closed SP to ring-opened MC form. The UV-irradiated areas display brilliant red fluorescence, which changes to green fluorescence upon prolonged irradiation.