Photonic Janus Carbon Fibers with Structural Color Gradient for Multicolored, Wirelessly Wearable Thermal Management Devices

Abstract

Janus structure offers materials unique functionalities which are difficult to achieve otherwise with isotropic counterpart, opening up new avenues in diverse application fields. Here, a series of novel photonic Janus carbon fibers (PJCFs) with structural color gradient and excellent mechanical stability are reported by introducing 1D photonic layers with a gradient of periodicity. By virtue of the unique photonic architecture, the PJCFs exhibit a multiple and continuous variation of structural color (i.e., structural color gradient) in a full spectrum. By controlling the thickness of periodic layer, a series of PJCFs with vivid and tunable structural colors ranging from blue, green, orange, to violet‐red can be obtained. Furthermore, their gradient structural colors remain constant after reciprocating rubbing and laundering, showing outstanding mechanical robustness. Notably, benefiting from the inherent electrothermal property and flexibility of CFs, the PJCFs display stable Joule heating performance even under deformation. As proof‐of‐concept, the PJCFs are further integrated with wireless transmission system to construct a multicolored, wirelessly controlled thermal management device, realizing remote and precise temperature manipulation via Bluetooth. This work provides not only a new platform for achieving distinct structural color gradient of CFs, but also a promising strategy toward next‐generation multicolored personal healthcare devices.

Functional Textiles with Smart Properties: Their Fabrications and Sustainable Applications

“…Reproduced with permission. [ 324 ] Copyright 2021, Wiley‐VCH GmbH. i) The spray‐coated wool fabric showing greenish‐yellow, bright white, turquoise, and off‐white colors before and after UV (λ = 365 nm) irradiation for different time.…”

“…presented photonic Janus carbon fibers with structural color by alternately sputtering Al 2 O 3 and TiO 2 photonic layers with a gradient of periodicity. [ 324 ] By virtue of this photonic architecture, the obtained textile exhibited vivid and tunable structural colors with outstanding mechanical robustness ranging from blue, green, orange, to violet‐red in a full spectrum (Figure 8h). Accordingly, owing to complex light interactions like thin‐film interference, diffraction, and coherent scattering, such a structural color is fastness and non‐fading even after laundering, which holds the potential to revolutionize the coloration technology in the textile industry.…”

“…h) The color variation of the photonic Janus carbon fiber textile with the tilting angle increasing from 0° to 50°. Reproduced with permission [324]. Copyright 2021, Wiley-VCH GmbH.…”

Stretchable and Photothermal MXene/PAA Hydrogel in Strain Sensor for Wearable Human‐Machine Interaction Electronics

“…However, it is still a challenge to develop multifunction hydrogel with excellent properties for high-precision flexible strain sensor to achieve precise control in wearable HMI electronics.The personal thermal management (PTM) technology provides specific temperature control and health monitoring for various novel interactive ways of wearable HMI electronics, and effectively improve practicality and user experience. [13,14] As one of the representative categories, photothermal conversion technology converts light energy into thermal energy by reflection and absorption, which conforms to the concept of energy saving and has been applied in PTM technology. [15,16] Nowadays, flexible hydrogels with excellent photothermal property have been obtained by introducing photothermal conversion agents (i.e., carbon nanomaterials, [17] organic materials, [18] metal materials, [19] and semiconductor materials [20] ) into the matrix.As a new type of 2D transition metal carbides and nitrides, MXene has exhibited prominent photothermal conversion performance due to the profits from high light absorption and the localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) effect.…”

“…The personal thermal management (PTM) technology provides specific temperature control and health monitoring for various novel interactive ways of wearable HMI electronics, and effectively improve practicality and user experience. [13,14] As one of the representative categories, photothermal conversion technology converts light energy into thermal energy by reflection and absorption, which conforms to the concept of energy saving and has been applied in PTM technology. [15,16] Nowadays, flexible hydrogels with excellent photothermal property have been obtained by introducing photothermal conversion agents (i.e., carbon nanomaterials, [17] organic materials, [18] metal materials, [19] and semiconductor materials [20] ) into the matrix.…”