Spiropyran-Containing Reusable and Wearable All-in-One Ultraviolet Monitoring and Shielding Textiles for Sun Protection

Moderate ultraviolet (UV) radiation from sunlight is essential for human health, but overexposure to UV rays can cause serious adverse effects. It is important to detect UV radiation from sunlight in time to prevent damage from excessive exposure. Here, a ready-to-use, easy-to-interpret, inexpensive, reusable, and wearable all-in-one UV monitoring and shielding sensor SP-TPE@PU textile has been developed. The SP-TPE@PU textiles are constructed by photochromic molecule SP-TPE and commercial polymer polyurethane (PU) through electrospinning. The SP-TPE molecule acts as the sensor component, and PU contributes to high flexibility. The SP-TPE@PU textiles show remarkable durability (against repeated twisting, curling, bending deformations, and water immersion) and good permeability, making them durable and breathable wearable materials. When exposed to sunlight, the SP-TPE@PU textiles rapidly exhibit significant color changes due to the efficient isomerization of SP-TPE, serving as an early warning and monitoring of UV radiation. In addition, the SP-TPE@PU textiles can revert to the initial state with visible light irradiation for reuse. Furthermore, the SP-TPE@PU textiles possess excellent UV shielding ability, contributing to human body protection. Simple and easy operation, significant and reversible color changes, good breathability and mechanical properties make SP-TPE@PU textiles reusable and wearable all-in-one UV monitoring and shielding sensors.