Colorimetric textile sensors based on the photonic crystals structural color with fast water responsiveness and antibacterial properties

Textiles-based wearable sensors with colorimetric sensing can transform external stimuli to visible color changes, which are ideal for the development of low-cost wearable sensors. Among them, textile-based water-response structural color colorimetric sensors have received wide attention for their pollution-free and eco-friendly characteristics. In this research, poly (styryl-methyl methacrylate-[3-(methylacrylamide) propyl] trimethyl ammonium chloride) (P(St/MMA/MAPTMA)) microspheres with hydrophilic quaternary ammonium salt groups were prepared, which were atomized and deposited on textile fabrics anticipating to prepare textile-based water response colorimetric sensors. P(St/MMA/MAPTMA) microspheres with different particle diameters were obtained by adjusting the mass ratios of the monomers, which were assembled on the fabrics to form different structural colors. These structural colors showed fast water response property to change color when they were wetted by water within 2 s. The P(St/MMA/MAPTMA) microspheres structural colors on the fabrics can return to their original structural colors after drying showing the reversible water responsiveness, which have the promising application prospect of water-response colorimetric sensors. Moreover, the antibacterial rates of these structural colors on fabrics were greater than 98 % showing excellent antibacterial properties. This research shows that this textile-based water-response structural color colorimetric sensors exhibit potential application prospects in the field of water content monitoring, such as the diapers for monitoring the amount of baby’s urine, or the clothing for monitoring the amount of human sweat.