Design and Synthesis of Multi‐compartment Microcapsules via Pickering Emulsion Polymerization for Infrared Stealth and Adaptive Camouflage Applications

High-performance color-changing compounds, recognized as prominent smart materials, dynamically alter their color in response to external environmental stimuli. However, existing compounds exhibit limited responsiveness and color diversity, presenting challenges in the development of textiles responsive to multiple stimuli. This research introduces a novel design for dual-responsive color-changing microcapsules, employing a Pickering emulsion template method. The larger compartment encloses photosensitive dyes, whereas the smaller one contains thermochromic phase-change colorants. Adjusting the density of nanocapsules in the smaller compartment on the microcapsule surface enables a spectrum of colors, including red, yellow, blue, and green, triggered by light and heat. When incorporated into textiles, these microcapsules bestow adaptive color-changing attributes and infrared stealth capabilities onto the fabrics. Additionally, by modulating the color via surface micro/nanostructures, textile surfaces can exhibit hydrophobic and oleophobic properties. Such enhancements extend the textiles' potential applications in areas like anti-counterfeiting and military operations.