Color changeable fiber, color changeable device and manufacturing method thereof

Abstract

Provided are a color changeable fiber, a color changeable device, and a manufacturing method thereof. The color changeable fiber includes a core wire, a display layer, a transparent conductive layer, and a protective layer. The display layer is disposed on a surface of the core wire and is in direct contact with the core wire or in contact with the core wire through an adhesion promoter. The display layer includes multiple microcapsules. The multiple microcapsules individually include multiple electrophoretic particles. The transparent conductive layer is disposed over a surface of the display layer. The protective layer is disposed over a surface of the transparent layer.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A color changeable fiber, comprising:
 a core wire;   a display layer, disposed on a surface of the core wire and in direct contact with the core wire or in contact with the core wire through an adhesion promoter, wherein the display layer comprises a plurality of microcapsules, and the plurality of microcapsules individually comprise a plurality of electrophoretic particles;   a transparent conductive layer, disposed over a surface of the display layer; and   a protective layer, disposed over a surface of the transparent conductive layer.   
     
     
         2 . The color changeable fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the core wire comprises a single core wire, a stranded wire, or a flexible wire. 
     
     
         3 . The color changeable fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the core wire comprises:
 a polymer fiber; and   a conductive layer, covering a surface of the polymer fiber.   
     
     
         4 . The color changeable fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein the color changeable fiber further comprises:
 a semiconducting polymer layer, located between the display layer and the transparent conductive layer.   
     
     
         5 . The color changeable fiber according to  claim 1 , wherein a diameter of the core wire is greater than or equal to 50 microns. 
     
     
         6 . A color changeable device, comprising:
 the color changeable fiber according to  claim 1 ;   a first electrode, electrically connected to the core wire of the color changeable fiber; and   a second electrode, electrically connected to the transparent conductive layer of the color changeable fiber, wherein the color changeable fiber generates color changes based on voltage waveforms or polarities applied to the first electrode and the second electrode.   
     
     
         7 . The color changeable device according to  claim 6 , wherein a first voltage waveform is applied to the first electrode, and the color changeable fiber presents a first color, a second voltage waveform is applied to the first electrode, and the color changeable fiber presents a second color. 
     
     
         8 . The color changeable device according to  claim 7 , wherein during a process of a voltage waveform applied to the first electrode changing from the first voltage waveform to the second voltage waveform, the color changeable fiber presents a gradient color that changes from the first color to the second color. 
     
     
         9 . The color changeable device according to  claim 6 , wherein the color changeable fiber has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, and a part of the first end that exposes the core wire of the color changeable fiber is formed as a first terminal and is electrically connected to the first electrode, a part of the second end that exposes the transparent conductive layer of the color changeable fiber is formed as a second terminal and is electrically connected to the second electrode. 
     
     
         10 . The color changeable device according to  claim 6 , wherein the color changeable device comprises a plurality of color changeable fibers, and the plurality of color changeable fibers are interlaced and woven up and down along a first direction and a second direction to form a bendable surface, wherein the first direction and the second direction intersect. 
     
     
         11 . The color changeable device according to  claim 10 , wherein the plurality of color changeable fibers comprise:
 a plurality of first color changeable fibers, arranged in the second direction and extended in the first direction, wherein each of first terminals of the plurality of first color changeable fibers is arranged on a first side of the surface, each of second terminals of the plurality of first color changeable fibers is arranged on a second side of the surface, and the first side is opposite to the second side; and   a plurality of second color changeable fibers, arranged in the first direction and extended in the second direction, wherein each of first terminals of the plurality of second color changeable fibers is arranged on a third side of the surface, each of second terminals of the plurality of second color changeable fibers is arranged on a fourth side of the surface, and the third side is opposite to the fourth side.   
     
     
         12 . The color changeable device according to  claim 11 , wherein the color changeable device further comprises a third electrode and a fourth electrode, each of the first terminals of the plurality of first color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the first electrode, and each of the second terminals of the plurality of first color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the second electrode, each of the first terminals of the plurality of second color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the third electrode, and each of the second terminals of the plurality of second color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the fourth electrode. 
     
     
         13 . The color changeable device according to  claim 12 , wherein a polarity of the first electrode is different from a polarity of the third electrode to allow a color of the plurality of first color changeable fibers to be different from a color of the plurality of second color changeable fibers. 
     
     
         14 . The color changeable device according to  claim 11 , wherein the plurality of color changeable fibers further comprise:
 a plurality of third color changeable fibers, arranged in a staggered arrangement with the plurality of first color changeable fibers in the second direction and extended in the first direction, wherein each of first terminals of the plurality of third color changeable fibers is arranged on the first side of the surface, and each of second terminals of the plurality of third color changeable fibers is arranged on the second side of the surface.   
     
     
         15 . The color changeable device according to  claim 14 , wherein the color changeable device further comprises a fifth electrode and a sixth electrode, each of the first terminals of the plurality of third color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the fifth electrode, and each of the second terminals of the plurality of third color changeable fibers is electrically connected to the sixth electrode, wherein a voltage waveform applied to the first electrode is different from a voltage waveform applied to the fifth electrode to allow a color of the plurality of first color changeable fibers to be different from a color of the plurality of third color changeable fibers. 
     
     
         16 . The color changeable device according to  claim 6 , wherein the color changeable fiber has a first end and a second end opposite to the first end, a part of the first end that exposes the core wire of the color changeable fiber is formed as a first terminal and is electrically connected to the first electrode, and a part of the first end that exposes the transparent conductive layer of the color changeable fiber is formed as a second terminal and is electrically connected to the second electrode. 
     
     
         17 . The color changeable device according to  claim 16 , wherein the color changeable device further comprises a hairnet, and the first ends of the plurality of color changeable fibers are connected to the hairnet to form a color changeable wig. 
     
     
         18 . A method of manufacturing a color changeable fiber, comprising:
 forming a display layer over a surface of a core wire, wherein the display layer is in direct contact with the core wire or in contact with the core wire through an adhesion promoter;   immersing the core wire that has formed the display layer into a transparent conductive material to form a transparent conductive layer over a surface of the display layer; and   forming a protective layer over a surface of the transparent conductive layer.   
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing the color changeable fiber according to  claim 18 , further comprising forming a semiconducting polymer layer on the display layer before the transparent conductive layer is formed over the surface of the display layer. 
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing the color changeable fiber according to  claim 18 , wherein the protective layer is formed through chemical vapor deposition, and a material of the protective layer comprises parylene or polyacrylate.