Laser-induced locally controllable craze-like microstructures for polymer white structural coloration

Abstract

As a promising candidate for the inkless coloring method, white structural color has undergone widespread investigation because of its fascinating properties. Recently, various methods have been developed to prepare disordered micro/nanostructures to produce white structural color. However, complex and high-cost processing procedures severely restrict the efficient and large-scale preparation of disordered micro/nanostructures for achieving white structural color. Herein, we report an ingenious way to realize white structural color by laser-inducing craze-like microstructures in core–shell microfiber-based polymers. A microfiber with copper nanowires (CuNWs) as the core surrounded by a polyformaldehyde (POM) shell is prepared by a simple in situ fibrillation method. The craze-like microstructures with micro/nanofibrils and micropores are locally constructed in polymers by a facile, efficient, inexpensive, controllable, and environmentally friendly laser direct writing (LDW) technique. Ascribed to the broadband visible light reflection caused by disordered microstructures, the laser-induced craze-like microstructures in polymers based on CuNWs@POM core–shell microfibers exhibit a distinct white structural color. This work paves a way for achieving white structural color and provides a novel insight for utilizing the previously considered useless crazing phenomenon.