Modular Assembly of Mechanoresponsive Color‐Changing Materials from Hydrogel‐Based Photonic Crystal Microspheres

Mechanoresponsive, soft, photonic materials with tunable structural coloration represent a class of that have potential benefits for wide range applications. While many lab-scale fabrication approaches afford control over the nano- and microscale morphology these materials, upscaling their manufacture remains challenge. Herein, scalable concept is proposed centers on modular assembly color-changing from building blocks. The blocks consist hydrogel-based spherical crystals. They are formed through water-in-oil emulsification nanoscale colloidal particles suspended in aqueous phase. Once formed, crystal microspheres then assembled into macroscale such as stretchable fibers or sheets. resulting respond to mechanical deformation reversible, dynamic change color. Fabricated via scalable, modular-assembly approach, mechanoresponsive sheets, turn, form valuable block sensing systems visual communication healthcare, architecture, consumer product design.