Hydrophobic, breathable, and vivid structural-colored fabrics achieved through surface-silanized colloidal assembly

Structural colored fabrics assembled from periodic crystalline structures have intrinsic advantages in construction of ecological fabrics due to their inherently high-brightness and anti-photo bleaching properties. However, due to the weak interfacial interactions between microspheres, there exists a critical trade-off when attempting to incorporate additional functionalities into the structural color system, where the enhancement in function may inevitably sacrifice the original color quality. Herein, we proposed a facile method for the construction of hydrophobic structural colored fabric (HSCF) by introducing low surface energy silane chains on the surface of colloidal microspheres. The primary hydrophilic fabric transformed into hydrophobic one after spray-coating treatment. As a result, the structural colored fabrics showed static water contact angles greater than 150°, as well as saturated colors. Meanwhile, thanks to the maintained porous structure, the fabrics retained softness and breathability. Furthermore, by taking advantage of this easy-to-perform strategy, a roll-to-roll HSCF with uniform and vivid coloration was successfully prepared, showcasing industrial potential for large-scale manufacturing.