Microfluidic spinning of editable polychromatic fibers

Chromatic fibers that change color in response to external stimuli are expected to be widely used in various applications such as anti-counterfeiting, military camouflage, and wearable displays. Advanced chromatic fibers with polychromatic and editable color properties behavior are strongly desired for practical applications but have not yet been realized using existing spinning technologies. Here, we present the low-cost, continuous microfluidic spinning of editable polychromatic polylactide (PLA) fibers. The structure and performance of the polychromatic PLA fibers were precisely controlled by adjusting the parameters used in microfluidic spinning. The structure of the as-spun products evolved through three different stages based on the editable encapsulation of functional materials into the PLA matrix. Fibers with versatile performance were achieved. A beaded polychromatic PLA fiber showed the possibility to delivery coded information through its editable chromatic behavior. A core-shell polychromatic PLA fiber showed good mechanical properties and knittability, which make it promising to fabricate smart color-changing textiles.