Structurally-colored articles and methods for making and using structurally-colored articles

Abstract

One or more aspects of the present disclosure are directed to components having an optical element that imparts structural color to the component or article. The present disclosure is also directed to articles of manufacture including the component having an optical element, and methods for making components and articles having an optical element that imparts structural color.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole combined with an upper for an article of footwear, wherein the upper includes a textile having a first surface, the first surface of the textile is defined by a first polymeric material, and the first surface of the textile forms an externally-facing side of the upper; and   an optical element having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the first side of the optical element is operably disposed on the first surface of the textile, and the optical element imparts a structural color having at least one hue selected from cyan, indigo, violet, blue, blue-green, and purple green, a portion of the externally-facing side of the upper defined by the textile;   wherein the optical element comprises at least two adjacent layers having different refractive indices and wherein the optical element includes 2 to 6 layers.   
     
     
         2 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the optical element includes 2 to 4 layers. 
     
     
         3 . The article of  claim 2 , wherein a first layer of the optical element comprises titanium dioxide. 
     
     
         4 . The article of  claim 3 , wherein a second layer of the optical element comprises silicon dioxide. 
     
     
         5 . The article of  claim 4 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are adjacent one another. 
     
     
         6 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein a third layer of the optical element is made of silicon dioxide and is adjacent the first layer on the side opposite the second layer. 
     
     
         7 . The article of  claim 5 , wherein a fourth layer of the optical element comprises titanium dioxide and is adjacent the second layer on the side opposite the first layer. 
     
     
         8 . The article of  claim 1 , wherein the textile is a synthetic leather textile. 
     
     
         9 . The article of footwear of  claim 1 , wherein optical element produces a structural color that is limited to one, two or three hues selected from a hue group, wherein the hue group is selected from the group consisting of cyan, indigo, violet, blue, blue-green, or purple green. 
     
     
         10 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole combined with an upper for an article of footwear, wherein the upper includes a synthetic leather textile having a first surface and the first surface of the synthetic leather textile forms an externally-facing side of the upper; and   an optical element having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the first side of the optical element is operably disposed on the first surface of the synthetic leather textile, and the optical element imparts a structural color having at least one hue, a portion of the externally-facing side of the upper defined by the textile;   wherein the optical element comprises at least two layers, where a first layer comprises silicon dioxide and a second layer comprises titanium dioxide.   
     
     
         11 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the first layer and the second layer are adjacent one another. 
     
     
         12 . The article of  claim 11 , wherein the optical element includes 2 to 4 layers. 
     
     
         13 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the structural color has at least one hue selected from cyan, indigo, violet, blue, blue-green, and purple green. 
     
     
         14 . The article of  claim 10 , wherein the structural color is limited to one, two or three hues selected from a hue group, wherein the hue group is selected from the group consisting of cyan, indigo, violet, blue, blue-green, or purple green. 
     
     
         15 . An article of footwear comprising:
 a sole combined with an upper for an article of footwear, wherein the upper includes a textile having a first surface, the first surface of the textile is defined by a first polymeric material, and the first surface of the textile forms an externally-facing side of the upper; and   an optical element having a first side and a second side opposing the first side, wherein the first side of the optical element is operably disposed on the first surface of the textile, and the optical element imparts a structural color having at least one hue, wherein the hue is associated with a wavelength range in the visible spectrum, wherein the wavelength range is selected from: the range of about 520 to 490 nanometers, the range of about 490 nanometers to 450 nanometers, the range of about 450 to 400 nanometers, or a combination thereof;   wherein the optical element comprises at least two adjacent layers having different refractive indices, wherein the two adjacent layers comprise a material selected from: a transition metal, a metalloid, or an oxide thereof.   
     
     
         16 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the optical element includes 2 to 4 layers. 
     
     
         17 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the textile is a synthetic leather textile. 
     
     
         18 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the optical element contains substantially no pigments and no dyes. 
     
     
         19 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the optical element has a thickness of 10 to 500 nm. 
     
     
         20 . The article of  claim 15 , wherein the optical element comprises at least two layers, where a first layer comprises silicon dioxide and a second layer comprises titanium dioxide, wherein the first layer and the second layer are adjacent one another.