Glitter, pearlescent, fluorescent, thermochromic—even the names of specialty inks raise the specter of something exciting.

By Tom Polischuk

Thermochromic inks, which change color based on being exposed to a specific temperature, can be reversible or irreversible. Lorenz mentions some examples of reversible thermochromic inks like having a color change or a message appear on a label to indicate if coffee is too hot, or likewise, having a color change on a bottle of baby shampoo if the bath water is too hot. Irreversible thermochromic inks could be used to indicate that a sterilization temperature has been reached, or even if a low or high temperature has been exceeded in product transit or storage. Currently, Lorenz says that the majority of uses for thermochromic inks are for reversible applications.