What is Thermochromic?
Thermochromic materials change colour at different temperatures. They change colour or become transparent at a certain temperature. We offer inks for screen printing and spray painting, pigments and plastics suitable for fabric, plastic, wood, paper and more!
You can activate Thermochromic materials by:
Chill and reveal (15°C)
Touch and reveal (27°C)
Rub and reveal (31°C)
Heat and reveal (47°C)
How do Thermochromic materials work?
Read our blog post on Thermochromics here.
Are Thermochromics UV stable?
Thermochromics are sensitive to UV light. They have a lightfastness of about 1-2 on the blue wool scale.
What is the opacity of Thermochromics?
Certain Thermochromic colours (usually Black) hide what is underneath really well. As such, these materials work great when hiding images. Cover lighter colours/graphics using dark coloured Thermochromics. When screen printing, usually more than one pass is required. When screen printing is not practical, or you do not want to use Black, camouflaging and colour matching is the next best option when concealing images.
What chemicals are incompatible with Thermochromics?
Aggressive ingredients including ammonia or polar solvents such as alcohols, acetates should be avoided. These can damage the molecular structure.
Do Thermochromic materials contain heavy metals?
None of our products are made with heavy metals.
What is Liquid Crystal?
This is a very special 'rainbow' Thermochromic coating that changes colour with heat! As its temperature rises, rainbow shades of red, green and blue can be seen. It is widely used for thermometer products. We stock Liquid Crystal vinyl, sprayable ink and screen printing ink.
What is Hydrochromic?
Starting white, Hydrochromic materials become transparent when in contact with water. We stock Hydrochromic ink and Hydrochromic sheets you can apply onto a surface to hide and reveal messages, images or colours.
What is Photochromic?
Photochromics change colour in the sun or UV light. Starting out pale or off-white, Photochromic pigments and ink burst into colour when outside!
Click here for FAQs on our Glow in the Dark products.
What colours are available?
Blue, Red and Black are available as standard. We can create custom colours on request. Contact us if you have a particular shade in mind.
Can you colour match?
Yes. However, we cannot guarantee an exact pantone match.
What activation temperatures are available?
Standard activation temperatures are 15ºC, 31ºC and 47ºC. We also have 29ºC available. Overall, the range of temperatures we offer is from -20 to 69ºC/-29 to 21ºF, but this is dependent on the colour.
What Binders are suitable for SFXC printing inks?
Water based binders which are neutralised with Dimethylethanolamine (DMEA) or Triethanolamine (TEA). You can view our range of binders and chemicals here.
What processing equipment should be avoided?
SFXC pigments and powders should not be subject to high impact milling techniques. Process temperatures should be kept to a minimum.
What is the difference between Dispersions and Powders?
Dispersions are best suited for water based applications. Powders are best suited for non aqueous solutions as they will not readily re-disperse into water.
What is the shelf life of your Colour changing pigments?
We guarantee a shelf life of at least 12 months if products are stored in a cool and dark environment. Long term exposure to UV light or elevated temperatures can damage the colour changing effect.
What is an MSDS? What is a TDS?
MSDS stands for Material Safety Data Sheet. TDS stands for Technical Data Sheet. These documents are linked at the bottom of each product page and should be viewed before using any of our materials.
