Leveraging Biomolecules to Achieve Structurally Colored Responsive Fibers/Textiles

Cholesteryl ester liquid crystals (LC) self-assemble into periodic helical structures which give rise to their unique, responsive optical properties. The responsive liquid crystals undergo color change due to the pitch variation when subjected to external stimuli such as mechanical deformation. We aim to achieve responsive, structurally-colored fibers by incorporating cholesteryl ester liquid crystals. Formulation of liquid crystals that respond to various stimuli (e.g. temperature, strain) will be discussed. Methods to fabricate thermochromic and mechanochromic fibers/coatings via in situ self-assembly during fiber processing will be discussed. Techniques to characterize the dynamic response of the resulting materials are currently being developed.