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Nanoparticle-based Fibers Could Lead To No-fade Textiles With Structural Color

Posted by Soulskill on from the new-fall-nanolineup dept.

JMarshall writes: Researchers have created fibers with structural color properties, no dyes needed. The researchers electrospun fiber mats from a solution of latex nanoparticles, creating fibers made of uniformly packed nanospheres. The resulting mats have structural color properties that depend on the size of the nanoparticles used. By using capillaries as molds, they obtained more uniformly packed spheres with even purer colors. The downside: the fibers so far are too weak to be useful. One solution could be to print the particles like ink on existing fibers.

27 comments

  1. My favorite color by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    is plaid.

    1. Re:My favorite color by bobbied · · Score: 1

      is plaid.

      Mine is paisley.. Plaid is so yesterday..

      --
      "File to fit, pound to insert, paint to match" - Aircraft Maintenance 101
    2. Re:My favorite color by PPH · · Score: 1

      Mine is transparent.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
    3. Re:My favorite color by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Fastest color of them all.

    4. Re:My favorite color by azav · · Score: 1

      Mine is plaid.

      --
      - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
  2. Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 3, Funny

    The materials eliminate the need for dye. However, they are too weak to be used as fabric on their own. One possible answer: use them as dye. Nice work science

    1. Re:Lol by jklovanc · · Score: 1

      It might be even worse than a dye as it might wear off very fast since it is only on the surface. It is closer to a paint than a dye.

    2. Re:Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      It's like using paint as your structural element. "Not strong enough you say, hmm..."

    3. Re:Lol by penguinoid · · Score: 1

      Well, presumably they still don't fade (and shouldn't bleach nor bleed).

      --
      Don't waste your vote! Vote for whoever you want, unless you live in a swing state it won't matter anyways
    4. Re:Lol by jklovanc · · Score: 1

      It will fade when the ink wears off. Then you will see the colour of the structural fiber.

    5. Re:Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      What is thread may never dye, but rises again, harder and stronger.

    6. Re: Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Is that much of an issue if the threads themselves start dyed/painted?

    7. Re:Lol by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      How about:
      Nanoparticle-based Fibers Could Lead To No-fade Textiles With Structural Color and no structural structure!

      From the summary it sounds like 'Could' is the biggest part of the headline.

      Wait!
      They could some some really pretty wall hangings for us i bet. Hardly earth-shattering tho ;)

  3. Re: why is this story so short? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    TL;DR. Don't care

  4. LOL ... by gstoddart · · Score: 1

    The downside: the fibers so far are too weak to be useful. One solution could be to print the particles like ink on existing fibers.

    Wait ... so you can make the color part of the fabric ... but the fabric is too fragile to use for anything ... so now you'll make your fancy nano-stuff to put on existing fibers.

    What is the point of this again?

    Wow, you can make color part of structure. But the structure isn't worth a damn. So you'll spray this on traditional fabric?

    Someone needs to contact the underpants gnomes here.

    This is a solution in search of a solution to the problem the solution almost solved.

    --
    Lost at C:>. Found at C.
  5. Wait - different clothes have different colors? by xxxJonBoyxxx · · Score: 1

    Wait - different clothes have different colors? And people care about this?

    1. Re:Wait - different clothes have different colors? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

      Obviously, you have never done laundry, you smelly clod.

    2. Re:Wait - different clothes have different colors? by PPH · · Score: 1

      Yes. Your socks are one example.

      --
      Have gnu, will travel.
  6. Physics Today had a good article on this by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Physics Today had a good article on structural colors just last month, they are pretty cool. I'd like to see them used in paints more than textiles really:

      http://scitation.aip.org/content/aip/magazine/physicstoday/article/68/6/10.1063/PT.3.2816

  7. textile stamps? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    "One solution could be to print the particles like ink on existing fibers."

    You mean like current textile stamps?

  8. Wait, isn't there an app for this? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    I thought the appers had lready apped an app for this.

    Apps!

  9. Well, by azav · · Score: 1

    It works pretty wall for reptiles, birds and butterflies.

    --
    - Zav - Imagine a Beowulf cluster of insensitive clods...
  10. Is asbestos a nanofibre? by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 0

    Would this be tested for its carcinogenic properties?, any small structure could in theory penetrate a cell wall and damage the cells DNA, leading to possible mutagenic effects. Or will it be tested only on its ability to generate revenue.

    1. Re:Is asbestos a nanofibre? by Tyrannosaur · · Score: 1

      Short answer- yes.

      Long answer- they aren't making clothes with it yet. They are testing to see that it is possible and if it would be viable for such a task. Nobody cares if something causes cancer if it isn't viable for use anyway

  11. They must be good for something by NickyLogic · · Score: 1

    Researchers spend so much time making and studying nanoparticles, now if only they could find a practical application for these particles .. something .. ANYTHING!!!

  12. It's not a bug, it's a feature by ThatsNotPudding · · Score: 1

    The brain cancer from nanoparticles? No charge.