biostudies-literatureHu YNatural Science Foundation of Guangdong Province (Guangdong Natural Science Foundation)National Natural Science Foundation of China (National Science Foundation of China)5643https://www.ebi.ac.uk/biostudies/studies/S-EPMC11226673biostudies-literatureUnknown15(1)Mechanochromic photonic crystals are attractive due to their force-dependent structural colors; however, showing unrecordable color and unsatisfied performances, which significantly limits their development and expansion toward advanced applications. Here, a thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystal with a multicolor recordability-erasability was fabricated by combining non-close-packing mechanochromic photonic crystals and phase-change materials. Multicolor recordability is realized by pressing thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystals to obtain target colors over the phase-change temperature followed by fixing the target colors and deformed configuration at room temperature. The stable recorded color can be erased and reconfigured by simply heating and similar color-reNature communicationsMulticolor recordable and erasable photonic crystals based on on-off thermoswitchable mechanochromism toward inkless rewritable paper.PMC112266732023A151501006352302001, 51920105004, 12075154, 21673160, and 5237119651920105004Huang SHu YMa DYang DQi CfalseMulticolor recordable and erasable photonic crystals based on on-off thermoswitchable mechanochromism toward inkless rewritable paper.Mechanochromic photonic crystals are attractive due to their force-dependent structural colors; however, showing unrecordable color and unsatisfied performances, which significantly limits their development and expansion toward advanced applications. Here, a thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystal with a multicolor recordability-erasability was fabricated by combining non-close-packing mechanochromic photonic crystals and phase-change materials. Multicolor recordability is realized by pressing thermal-responsive mechanochromic photonic crystals to obtain target colors over the phase-change temperature followed by fixing the target colors and deformed configuration at room temperature. The stable recorded color can be erased and reconfigured by simply heating and similar color-re2024-01-01T00:00:00Z2024 Jul2025-04-22T15:36:07.991Z2025-04-06T01:24:41.423ZS-EPMC112266733896963010.1038/s41467-024-49860-3