Fabrication of UV-responsive chromic system using nanospider device and its photo-fatigue behavior under continuous mode of UV irradiance

Abstract

In this paper, we proposed the preparation of a photochromic nonwoven fabric based on photochromic nanofibers with high color response, which has excellent photochromic properties, good durability, and can quickly return to its original state. Photochromic nanofibers were colored by spiropyran (SP) class of photochromic dyes. The SP was dissolved in an ethanol solution containing polyvinyl butyral and then the composition was spined using a needle-free NANOSPIDER system. The test data of colorimetric and spectral characteristics of photochromic color change demonstrate that the prepared samples exhibit significant color changes and sufficient stability during fatigue tests. At the same time, a good agreement of the measured experimental data with the proposed theoretical model is documented, which allows estimating the total amount of energy that causes a 50% decrease in color response. This enabled the design of an accelerated UV resistance test method for photochromic textiles.