Board of Governors for Higher Education, State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations

Yu Wang

William B Euler

Brett L Lucht

Nadia Archambault

A thermal indicator material which comprises a plurality of polythiophenes having a second low temperature color and a high temperature color. The polythiophenes are structured and arranged to exhibit a color change from the second low temperature color to the high temperature color when the thermal indicator material is exposed to a temperature that meets or exceeds a pre-determined temperature and to exhibit a color change from the high temperature color to a first low temperature color when the thermal indicator material is exposed to a decline in temperature from a temperature that meets or exceeds the predetermined temperature to a temperature of within the range of between about 5 to 20&#xb0; C. below the pre-determined temperature that occurs in a time period of greater than 2.0 seconds.

Thermochromic indicator materials with controlled reversibility

The invention is directed to use of polythiophenes in a method to determine the genuineness of an article which method comprises providing an article treated with a composition comprised of a polythiophene, the polythiophene having a low temperature color and a weak fluorescence and the structure of the polythiophene being designed such that when the composition is placed in a heat-exchange relationship with the article, the low temperature color will change to a high temperature color and the weak fluorescence will change to a strong fluorescence when a pre-determined temperature is met or exceeded in the article, heating the article to a temperature that meets or exceeds the pre-determined temperature and detecting the color and the fluorescence change.

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Worcester, MA, United States of America

Yu Wang