Color Changing Textiles
“Color-changing fabric” is one of my personal favorites in the domain of Wearable Electronics.
Being able to change the color of my clothing as simple as to flip a switch or have it changed ‘automatically’ triggered by let’s say ambient light changes or temperature or – sometimes – by my well feeling, gives endless opportunities and possibilities for fashion designers.
According to Dr. Greg Sotzing from the University Connecticut, this comes one step closer to reality: Dr. Sotzing has created enhanced “electrochromic” polymers — a flexible material that changes color when an electrical charge is applied to it.
Electrochromic polymers have been around for a while, but they were too small and fragile to be practical, but Sotzing has found a way to make them long and flexible enough to be woven into cloth.
The trick for making the fibres useful for colour-changing fabrics, according to Williams, is to control the fibres on the scale of a single pixel.
Threads with different charges could be woven together with thin metal wires designed to deliver various voltages, with the intersection between a thread and a wire serving as a pixel.
Changing the voltage with an embedded battery would result in different colours.
This potentially goes beyond simply making your outfit that perfect shade of green; a jacket or shirt made from the polymers could actually serve as a TV screen for watching shows or serving up advertisements.
Ah – better take the TV back to be more realistic but nevertheless, changing the color partially on the complete clothing to adjust to different occasions would be of great benefit; no need to go home and change the dress / jacket.
via ABC Science
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Posted in Category: Display, Technologies | 6 Comments »
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My latest search on the internet didn’t bring out more than patent application and research papers of enhanced “electrochromic” polymers.
I am afraid no commercial product is available at this time but, on a positive note: opportunity for everyone to be the first to bring color changing textiles to the market and get fame and money 
The concept is very interesting. I would like to know more about this textiles and fibers so it will be a great help if you can send me some more links and resources.
[...] llega a ropa inteligente, pero según salió en Menéame se han creado telas que cambian de color, camaleónicas, tal como aparece en la novela. En el mismo sitio habla de T-Qualizer, la camiseta [...]
I strongly suggest searching on YouTube for David and Dania. They use colour changing materials in their quick change magic act. It is very complicated to explain it to someone, seeing it helps you understand
Thats of course a very nice idea, can you please give more information about the particular polymer and technical specification including its functionality that how does it works? to change color,,,, replies will be appreciated and awaited
The idea is very good, but one question! where can find this kind of fabrics or textiles? if there is a place or a company that sell this kind of fabric or textile i would like to buy it. so if you dont mind telling me where i can find them it would be great.
reza