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Microfluidic spinning of editable polychromatic fibers
Wei Zhang1, Chengyi Hou1, Yaogang Li2
1State Key Laboratory for Modification of Chemical Fibers and Polymer Materials, International Joint Laboratory for Advanced Fiber and Low-dimension Materials, College of Materials Science and Engineering, Donghua University, Shanghai 201600, China.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science
|October 5, 2019
Summary
Researchers developed new editable, polychromatic polylactide (PLA) fibers using microfluidic spinning. These color-changing fibers offer versatile applications in smart textiles and information delivery.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Polymer Science
- Textile Engineering
Background:
- Chromatic fibers are crucial for anti-counterfeiting, camouflage, and wearable displays.
- Existing spinning technologies limit the development of advanced polychromatic and editable color-changing fibers.
- There is a strong demand for practical, versatile chromatic fiber solutions.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop a low-cost, continuous method for producing editable polychromatic polylactide (PLA) fibers.
- To precisely control the structure and performance of these fibers through microfluidic spinning parameters.
- To demonstrate the potential applications of these novel fibers.
Main Methods:
- Utilized continuous microfluidic spinning to create polylactide (PLA) fibers.
- Controlled fiber structure and color properties by adjusting microfluidic spinning parameters.
- Investigated the encapsulation of functional materials within the PLA matrix across three distinct stages.
- Fabricated beaded and core-shell fiber structures.
Main Results:
- Achieved editable polychromatic PLA fibers with precisely controlled structures and versatile performance.
- Demonstrated three structural evolution stages based on editable material encapsulation.
- Showcased a beaded fiber capable of delivering coded information via chromatic behavior.
- Developed a core-shell fiber with excellent mechanical properties and knittability for smart textiles.
Conclusions:
- Microfluidic spinning offers a viable, low-cost method for producing advanced editable polychromatic fibers.
- The developed fibers exhibit tunable chromatic properties suitable for information encoding and smart textiles.
- These findings pave the way for next-generation color-changing materials in diverse technological fields.
