Have you ever thought about thermochromic technology? Well now you will learn about some heat sensitive technology what the benefits are and what it consists of that makes it work. Thermochromic products have a variety of uses and may be found in places that may surprise you.
First – what is thermochromic pigment is made of and what is the science behind the product. The paints and pigments were invented in the 1970’s and they change color after the exposure of heat or light. According to the Oxford Dictionary thermochromic means “(of a substance) undergoing a reversible change of color when heated or cooled.” Thermochromic pigment consists of liquid crystals or leuco dye. After the pigment absorbs a certain amount of heat or light, the structure of the pigment changes and then the color changes. Dyes have a less accurate temperature reading than crystals, change color over a larger temperature range and can show more colors. Crystals are used in products where temperature is an important factor and can be helpful in showing incremental changes in temperature because they have a smaller temperature range.
There are a variety of products that use thermochromic pigment or paint. There are many different uses for this unique technology. The types of products you will find thermochromic pigment in are items such as thermometers, salad bags as a medical supplies and for food products for safety. Refrigerators use thermochromic pigment to show you the inside temperature so you know your food is safe. Doctors place a strip on your forehead, which uses this technology, to see a person’s body temperature. Food companies use labels that have special ink that uses the pigment to help monitor the food temperature while in transit and at the store to make sure it stays at the appropriate temperature range that allows it to be safe to eat. Builders are now using this technology in the paint they put on the outside of a home to help regulate the energy used from your heating or air conditioning units as a way to be more energy efficient.
Thermochromic pigment is used for other safety and novelty purposes. Dyes are used in products to help determine if a product is safe for use. An example would be a tab on a coffee cup to tell someone if their drink is too hot to drink. Water bottles and cans have an indicator showing if it is cold enough to enjoy. Baby products often use this technology to keep babies safe. Examples of these products include baby bottles which indicate if the liquid is too hot to drink. Bath toys can indicate if the water is hot or cold. Companies have also created products for the enjoyment of its customers such as toys that change color with heat or cold. Mood rings are an example of jewelry that changes color by your body temperature. Clothing and bathing suits also use this technology and can change color with heat or cold.
Thermochromic technology had a huge impact on the industry for smart packaging from 2006 to 2013. The smart packaging market grew to about $4.8 billion in 2011. The projection of revenue in 2013 for the smart packaging market was about $14.1 billion. This thermochromic technology helped smart packaging in many significant ways. A few of these ways are it has shapes memory alloys that can control the opening and closing of packages by relying on environmental conditions. One other way is on soda cans there are thermochromic paints on the labels, they change a certain color when the beverage is cold or when it is warm. They also provide a means of food safety when they help monitor the temperature of certain foods and assist doctors in the medical field by helping to take a person’s temperature. Idaho’s own J.R. Simplot was a model for innovation and thinking outside the box. He encouraged others to be creative and try new things and this product reminds me of something he would feel was a creative way to solve a problem for consumers.
Next, I will discuss how thermochromic paint is made and the three ingredients that you will need to make the paint, and the supplies that you will need. The three ingredients you will need are transparent gloss, acrylic paint,and thermochromic pigment which you can purchase from Amazon. The supplies that you will need are: a plastic container with a tight fitting lid to store the paint, a paintbrush, and plastic spoons. Now let’s learn how to make it. For the first step, pour your paint and add the transparent gloss. In the second step all you need to do is add your pigment, then mix well and then have fun!
There is another fun way you can work with the thermochromic pigment and that is making heat sensitive slime. This slime consists of five simple ingredients, those ingredients are: three teaspoons of thermochromic pigment, ¼ cup of white school glue, ¼ cup of liquid starch, one tablespoon of water and food coloring. For this you can choose the colors that you want your slime to be. When the slime is cold it will be the color of the pigment and when the slime is warm/hot it will change to the color that you chose for the food coloring.
Last but not least is the four steps to making the slime. First you will want to add the ¼ cup of white school glue,next add the food coloring of you choice. After add the glue and food coloring, then add the three teaspoons of pigment and one tablespoon of water and mix well. The last thing you will need to do is add the ¼ cup of liquid starch, the liquid starch is used to make the slime not sticky. This is helpful when you are playing with it so it doesn’t stick to your hand.
To wrap this essay up, it is safe to say this use of thermochromic technology is an innovative and creative product that has had major impacts on several industries. The pigment and paint is used in many different beneficial ways in the packaging industry as well as the novelty industry, baby products, and in the medical industry such as with thermometers and to help with energy efficiency. The sky’s the limit with this product and the future will most likely offer many new products help solve problems in various industries.
Works Cited
Pinch, Katie, et al. “Heat Sensitive Color Changing Slime.” Left Brain Craft Brain, 7 May 2018, leftbraincraftbrain.com/heat-sensitive-color-changing-slime/.
“The Functionality of This Site Requires JavaScript. Enable JavaScript to Continue.” JUMP | Jack’s Urban Meeting Place, jumpboise.org/about.
Instructables. “Make Your Own Thermocolor (Color-Change) Paint!” Instructables.com, Instructables, 8 Oct. 2017,
“Market Research.” Emirati Cancer Industry, www.reportlinker.com/p04998530/Thermochromic-Materials-Market-Analysis-By-Product-Reversible-Irreversible-By-Application-Food-Quality-Indicators-Papers-Pigments-Thermometers-By-Region-And-Segment-Forecasts.html.
LLoone, Chris Mc. “Smart Packaging – Thermochromic Inks.” Package Printing, 1 Apr. 2007, www.packageprinting.com/article/smart-packaging-thermochromic-inks-53226/all/
“The Time For Thermochromics.” Materials Today, 9 Dec. 2015, www.materialstoday.com/amorphous/news/the-time-for-thermochromics/.