Stretchable photochromic hydrous TiO2-embedded glycerol-poly(dimethylsiloxane) film for rewritable information storage

Abstract Photoreversible, color-changing films have great potential in various optical applications. In this study, we developed a photochromic film by embedding droplets of metatitanic acid (hydrous TiO₂) and glycerol in commercially available poly(dimethylsiloxane) (PDMS) silicone elastomers. Benefiting from the electron–hole pair scavenging abilities of glycerol, the resulting film exhibited rapid photoresponse, high photoreversible stability, excellent antiaging capability, and remarkable stretchability. The degree of color changes upon ultraviolet (UV) irradiation was effectively controlled by adjusting both the concentration of hydrous TiO₂ (1–20 wt and UV irradiation time (5–30 min), thereby increasing total color-changing ability (ΔE). High-resolution patterns could be repetitively printed, erased, and rewritten (≥20 times) with no significant loss of clarity. After a 30-day exposure to ambient air, there were no significant aging effects in the photochromic ability of the films, thus demonstrating promising potential as rewritable films for information storage.