The principle of operation of paramagnetic paint and how it changes color, other types
The color of the car is set at the production stage by painting with appropriate enamels. However, a technology is now available in the market through which you can change the color of the car body. This became possible with the advent of paramagnetic paint. This composition, as stated by the developers, is able to change color by pressing a button on the remote control.
Paramagnetic paint concept
Paramagnetic paint is a polymer composition containing iron oxide particles. These allow the material to change color. Iron particles are applied to the body surface before the topcoat is applied.
The main feature of this technology is that the paint only changes color when the engine is running.
Principle of operation
The principle of operation of a paramagnetic (or ferromagnetic) paint is based on a technology discovered in the 20th century. When a layer of iron oxide is applied, a crystal lattice forms under the material. Metal atoms form knots and oscillate under the influence of external forces.
This happens when an electric current is supplied to this network, which is activated by means of the remote control. With this effect, the car body changes color. The tint the car gets depends on the strength of the current and the density of the iron ions.
This type of coloring composition has the following characteristics:
- Sustainability. The material is resistant to mechanical stress.
- Attraction. The paint helps make the car stand out from other vehicles.
- Ease of controls. To change the color, the car owner just needs to press the corresponding button.
Like other types of paints, paramagnetic has a wide color palette. At the same time, as mentioned above, the composition does not change the hue cardinally, but several tones.
Truth or Fiction
The technology for the production of paramagnetic paint exists. However, the material itself is not available in the market. This is explained by the fact that the cost of such a composition is quite high. Therefore, the price of the painting, if it goes on sale, will be inaccessible to a wide audience.
Thermochromic paint
Thermochromic paint is a material sensitive to the effects of temperature, due to which the composition changes its original color. The working principle of thermal paint is similar to paramagnetic one. However, in this case, the color change occurs under the influence of other forces.
Composition and properties of thermal paint
The basis of thermal paint is thermochromic microcapsules, the size of which does not exceed 10 micrometers. Also, the composition of the material includes pigments presented in the form of leuco dyes or liquid crystals.Both components can be mixed with common paints such as acrylic, latex or oil. Due to this feature, this composition is used for processing car bodies.
Thermal paint is divided into 2 types:
- Reversible. This type of paint changes color when exposed to heat and returns to its previous shade when environmental conditions return to its original position.
- Irreversible. This paint only changes color once.
In addition, thermal paints are classified into 3 types, depending on the type of impact that must be exerted on the material:
- Invisible. The paint is initially colorless. The composition acquires a given shade when exposed to a temperature of 50-60 degrees. But after cooling, the material becomes colorless again.
- Visible at the start. Such heat-sensitive paints become colorless when the temperature varies from 7 to 60 degrees. When this effect ceases, the material becomes visible.
- Multicolored. These thermal paints change color when exposed to temperature.
The maximum temperature that thermal paint can withstand does not exceed 280 degrees.
Color pallet
This product is available in the following colors:
- blue (light blue);
- Purple;
- black;
- YELLOW;
- red and scarlet;
- pink;
- Green.
If necessary, you can combine several pigments with each other, which appear only at a certain temperature.
App Features
Before application, this composition is mixed with other paints in the following proportions:
- water-based or oil-based - 5-30% by volume;
- with a base with which the plastic is painted - 0.5-5%.
Thermal paint is applied in the same way as usual.That is, for surface treatment, you can use brushes, rollers, sponges or a spray gun. The material consumption depends on the effect you want to achieve. On average, 65 milliliters of thermal paint are needed to cover one square meter.
It is recommended to mix this product with acrylic or oily compounds before application on non-absorbent materials (ceramics and others).
Thermal paint dries in natural conditions in minutes. After treatment, the surfaces must be kept away from UV rays or a sun varnish must be applied on top.
Hydrochrome enamel for cars
Hydrochromic enamel contains special microgranules that change the color of the material when in contact with water. In its normal state, this composition has a white tint.
The principle of operation of such a material is as follows: when wet, the upper layer containing these microgranules becomes transparent. Thanks to this, the paint applied under the hydrochromic enamel becomes visible.
Hydrochrome enamel is mainly used to hide some of the decorative elements that adorn the bodywork. This composition does not contain toxic substances and, when wet, does not cause corrosion or other processes that can damage the machine.
conclusions
Despite the bias against these types of materials, there are paints that can change color. Hydrochromic and heat-sensitive enamels are considered popular. The first becomes transparent when exposed to water, and the second changes color with increasing and decreasing ambient temperature. Hydrochrome enamel is more often used in the processing of car bodies. The field of application of heat-sensitive formulations is wider.
The technology for creating paramagnetic paint also exists. However, such a composition remains inaccessible to a wide audience due to the high cost of production.