Thermochromic pigment — also called temperature sensitive pigment or heat activated color changing pigment — is a smart material that reversibly changes color within a specific temperature window. By encapsulating color developers, leuco dyes, and temperature regulators in microcapsules, it makes color “follow the heat.”
In global B2B sourcing, thermochromic pigment for plastics and thermochromic ink pigment consistently rank among the highest-volume keywords on Google and Bing. Buyers range from ink manufacturers and plastic processors to toy brands, printing houses, and cold-chain packaging suppliers.
Aolong Chemical offers 7 series and 60+ SKUs spanning -20°C to 65°C, suitable for inks, screen printing, injection molding, masterbatch, and coatings.
7 Thermochromic Pigment Series at a Glance
| Series | Name | Behavior | Temp Range | Best For |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| R | Heat Decoloring | Colored → Colorless | 9 ~ 65°C | Inks, injection, printing |
| F | Heat Coloring | Colorless → Colored | 35 ~ 65°C | Inks, screen, flexo, offset |
| EW | Wide-range Thermal Memory Decoloring | Out-of-range decoloring | -20 ~ 62°C | Injection, masterbatch |
| EF | Thermal Memory Coloring | 5 ~ 55°C bistable | 5 ~ 55°C | Memory apps, injection |
| EN | Narrow-range Bistable Memory | 15 ~ 25°C bistable | 15 ~ 25°C | Room-temp monitoring, precision |
| T | Range Coloring | Colors only in T0~T1 | 30 ~ 52°C | Injection, body-temp products |
| P | Pressure-thermal Decoloring | Pressure colors, heat decolors | 47 ~ 52°C | Screen printing, anti-counterfeit |
- R Series — Cold Chain & Anti-Counterfeit Veteran
R series colors at low temperatures and decolors when heated. It is the flagship cold chain temperature indicator pigment for 9~12°C (TR-Red-12 peach red) and 30~38°C (TDR-Red-33 scarlet). Its reversible thermochromic nature allows indicator cards to be reused.
- F Series — The Ink Industry’s Darling
F series is colorless at low temperatures and develops color when heated — perfect for thermochromic pigment for silk screen printing, heat-sensitive coffee mugs, and food packaging warning labels. Note: not suitable for injection molding.
- EN Series — Precision’s Swiss Army Knife
Narrow temperature range thermochromic pigment 15-25°C is the fastest-growing segment. Minimal residual color makes it ideal for room-temperature monitoring cards, vaccine cold-chain labels, and medical devices.
- T Series — The Aesthetic Champion for Body-Temperature Products
T series shows color only within a specific band. The popular body temperature color changing pigment 31°C 33°C (TDR-Red-33, THB-Blue-33, TKG-Green-33) is widely used in smart wearables, kids’ spoons, and color-changing cups.
- P Series — Black Tech for Anti-Counterfeit Printing
P series starts colorless, gains R-series properties after pressure, and decolors when heated. This is the killer feature for silk-screen anti-counterfeit, banknote security, and brand protection.
5 Major Application Scenarios
1️⃣ Injection Molding
Keyword: thermochromic pigment for injection molding
Series: R, T, EN, EF, EW
Tip: Process at < 250°C, dosage 1~5%.
2️⃣ Inks & Silk Screen Printing
Keyword: thermochromic ink pigment / thermochromic pigment for silk screen printing
Series: F (inks), P (screen), R (offset)
Tip: F dosage 3~10%; P series only for screen printing with specific ink systems.
3️⃣ Masterbatch
Keyword: thermochromic pigment for masterbatch
Series: T, EN, EF
Tip: Use microcapsule thermochromic pigment at 3~5 μm to survive twin-screw shear.
4️⃣ Cold Chain & Food Packaging
Keyword: cold chain temperature indicator pigment / reversible thermochromic pigment
Series: R
Tip: R series’ reversibility allows repeated use of indicator cards.
5️⃣ Novelty & Toys
Keyword: temperature sensitive pigment / thermochromic pigment for plastics
Series: T, F, EN
Tip: Comply with EN71-3 and FDA 21 CFR for child-contact products.
3-Step Selection Guide
Step 1 — Define the temperature window
- Cold chain → R (9~12°C)
- Body / room temperature → T (30~38°C) / EN (15~25°C)
- High-temp warning → T / P (47~52°C)
Step 2 — Define the process
- Injection / masterbatch → T, R, EN, EF, EW
- Inks / screen → F, P, R
Step 3 — Define color & saturation
- Strict residual color → EN / EF
- General use → R / T / F
- Common colors: scarlet, deep red, orange red, peach red, magenta, royal blue, sky blue, mid green, emerald, purple, black
Why Aolong Chemical?
✅ 60+ SKUs covering -20°C to 65°C
✅ 7 complete series — R / F / EF / EW / EN / T / P
✅ Controllable particle size — 3~5 μm standard, < 5 μm precision
✅ Multi-process validated — inks, screen, injection, masterbatch, coatings
✅ B2B export friendly — bilingual tech support, CIF / FOB flexible
✅ Free samples & custom formulation — effective at 1~5% dosage
FAQ
Q1: Can thermochromic pigment be transparent?
A: F series is naturally colorless. EN/EF series have minimal residual color for near-transparent applications.
Q2: Is thermochromic pigment UV-resistant?
A: Standard products should avoid prolonged UV exposure. Custom UV-resistant formulas are available.
Q3: Can I mix different colors or temperature points?
A: Yes. R series follows JR:MR = 45%:55% for color mixing. Always test samples first, as the transition temperature may shift.
Q4: Will thermochromic pigment for injection molding be damaged by screw shear?
A: Use 3~5 μm microcapsule products and process below 250°C to protect active components.
Q5: What is the MOQ and lead time?
A: Standard SKUs from 1 kg, custom from 5 kg. Stock ships in 7 days; custom 15~25 days.
