# Evaluating the Chemical Resistance and Performance of Thermochromic Polymers for Food Packaging

## TL;DR

This study examines how thermochromic polymers used in food packaging hold up when exposed to different food-contact environments.

## Contribution

The paper introduces a detailed evaluation of thermochromic pigment-polymer blends under various chemical and thermal conditions.

## Key findings

- Virgin food-grade polymer remains stable under chemical exposure.
- Thermochromic polymer blends show reduced functionality after exposure.
- Thermal cycling and mechanical analysis reveal degradation in blends.

## Abstract

The use of thermochromic pigments in food packaging offers several advantages, including improved food safety, waste reduction, and temperature change monitoring. However, little is known about how chemically resilient these materials are, especially regarding optical stability, thermochromic activation, and mechanical integrity following exposure to acidic, alkaline, oil-based, and neutral food-contact environments. This study evaluates the chemical resistance, thermal cycling effects, and mechanical durability of thermochromic pigment–polymer blends. Thermochromic polymer samples were subjected to multiple chemical environments, repeated thermal cycling, and mechanical analysis to assess degradation behavior. The findings show that virgin food-grade polymer with no thermochromic pigment sustains its performance stability throughout chemical exposure with little degradation. However, thermochromic polymer blends experienced reduced thermochromic functionality. This study offers insight into how well thermochromic pigment can be incorporated into intelligent food packaging despite the limitations associated with chemical exposure.