Lab 10: Thermochromic Mug!
🦺 Introduction
(1 minute read)Thermochromic paint is an interesting material that changes color based on temperature. It’s commonly used to paint mugs or dye fabrics, creating dynamic and interactive designs.
In this lab, you will paint your own thermochromic mug—a mug with patterns that transform when exposed to heat, such as when you pour in hot water. During this process, you will explore key techniques, including:- ✅ Designing dynamic patterns that leverage the color-changing properties of thermochromic paint
- âś… Painting with acrylic-based thermochromic paint to create unique designs
🎨 Tools for the Lab
The image below shows the tools available for this lab.
List of Items
- Thermochromic Paint: Used to create color-changing patterns on your mug.
- Painting Tools: The thermochromic paint provided in this lab behaves like traditional acrylic paint, so you can use a standard painting set.
- Photochromic Paint (Optional): This optional paint changes color under sunlight and can be used for additional effects.
- A Mug (not shown in the image): The surface on which you will paint your designs.
Step (0): Know Your Thermochromic Dye
In this lab, we provide two types of thermochromic dyes: disappearing and appearing.
- Disappearing-Type Thermochromic Dye: This type of dye displays its color below 31°C and becomes transparent above this temperature. For this lab, you will have access to disappearing-type thermochromic dyes in four colors: cyan, red, yellow and black.
- Appearing-Type Thermochromic Dye: In contrast to disappearing dyes, appearing-type dyes are transparent below 35°C and reveal their colors when the temperature rises above 35°C. In this lab, you will work with appearing-type thermochromic dyes in three colors: blue, magenta and black.
Step (1): Draw Your Patterns
Now that you understand how the thermochromic paints behave, it’s time to start creating your patterns!
- Draw the disappearing pattern: Begin by painting your disappearing pattern on the cold mug.
- Dry and heat the mug: Allow the disappearing paint to dry completely, then heat the mug to prepare for the next layer.
- Draw the appearing pattern: Once the mug is warm, paint your appearing pattern on top.
Once all the paint layers are dry, your thermochromic mug is ready to use! Watch as your patterns transform with changes in temperature.
Optional: Use a laser-cut stencil
While you’re welcome to draw your patterns freehand, you can also use a laser-cut stencil for creating precise and consistent color blocks. This method is especially useful for achieving clean, professional-looking designs.
Using a stencil to guide your design.
Simply place the laser-cut stencil onto your mug and paint across it to create sharp, well-defined patterns.
Once the paint dries, remove the stencil to reveal your pattern. Watch as your design transforms with temperature changes!
Optional: Photochromic Dye
If you're looking for adding some extra interactivity to your design, consider using photochromic paint. Unlike thermochromic paint, which changes color with temperature, photochromic paint reacts to ultraviolet light, such as sunlight, to reveal vibrant patterns.
For a unique touch, you can incorporate photochromic paint into your mug design. To demonstrate how it works, we’ve provided this paint for you to experiment with and create patterns that reveal themselves only under sunlight.
Photochromic paint showcasing its sunlight-activated transformation.
More on color-changing materials
In addition to the appearing and disappearing thermochromic dyes and photochromic dyes that you explored in this lab, we provide more information about color-changing material.
Other types of thermochromic dyes- Powder based thermochromic paint, more versatile on different kinds surfaces. Learn more.
- 25°C thermochromic dyes that changes color when user touches the object. View samples.
- Liquid crystal-based thermochromic materials, which can achieve a wide range of temperature-dependent color changes. Working principle. Paint demo.
- PDLC electrochromic glass, glass that changes opacity or color under electric current. Learn more.
- Electroluminescent materials. Learn more.
- Magnetophoretic capsules, which change color in response to magnetic fields. Example: Magna Doodle.