Preparation of a photochromic diarylethene microcapsule with high fatigue resistant and printed on cotton fabric

Photochromic compounds have been widely used in many fields due to their excellent properties. However, their properties would degrade significantly, due to the influence of environmental factors, such as oxygen, pH, and so on. Using microencapsulation technology to protect them was one of the ways to maintain their original good performance. Herein, photochromic microcapsule with poly (methyl methacrylate) (PMMA) as shell material and photochromic diarylethene as core material was prepared by the solvent evaporation method. The results showed that the prepared microcapsule had uniform particle size, smooth surface, tight coating, excellent photochromic sensitivity, and outstanding fatigue resistance. In addition, the photochromic microcapsule was printed on cotton fabric by adhesive, which also showed excellent reversible photochromic properties, soap washing resistance, and acid and alkali resistance.