SMART COLORS WHAT DOES „SMART“ MEAN? Smart materials adapt their properties autonomously and within a short period of time to external stimuli such as mechanical stress, chemical substances, irradiation with laser light, temperature, humidity, as well as electrical and magnetic fields.Smart changes of color, form, surface appearance, viscosity, conductivity, etc. are possible and occur predictably and in a controlled manner. Attophotonics is a specialist for SMART COLOR MATERIALS. – On the basis of Attophotonics’ nano-color technology they change their color with environmental parameters. Most prominently, they are used as sensors for intelligent packaging e.g. in the food industry. However, they also find application in printing systems, dyes, pigments, in design, the jewelry sector, paper industry, car construction and many other areas. Indicators for • Humidity • pH-change • water contact (irreversible) • skin contact/ package opening • chemical stress • Human breath Optional Indicators for • cold chain monitoring - pre-series • bacterial activity in milk - pre series • detection of bacterial activity in meat • detection of solvents • inducible optical expire date • switchable colors WATER REACT IRREVERSIBLE AND REVERSIBLE Colors for the detection of humidity and water contact Attophotonics Water React products combine the proprietary REA-color-technology with humidity-sensitive multiple nano-layers. Contact with water or humidity is directly visualized by a color change e.g. from green to blue. The colors of the Water React products can be adapted according to costumer demands. The speed of response can be modified as required. A color reaction to humidity within 1 second to 1 day is possible. WATER REACT IRREVERSIBLE A multi-nano-layer indicates humidity or water contact via an irreversible color change. Available on various polymer films e.g. PET or OPP. WATER REACT REVERSIBLE A multi-nano-layer indicates humidity or water contact via a reversible color change. Available on various polymer films e.g. PET, OPP as well as on printable glitter pigments. Also direct coating of materials with the humidity sensitive layer is possible. WATER REACT – SMART HUMIDITY SENSORS Die smarten Feuchte-Sensoren wurden von Attophotonics entwickelt und in Kooperation mit Mondi, Naku und der FHWN für den Markt optimiert. HUMI-TAG (grüner Tropfen) für optimale Lagerung (bei erhöhter Luftfeuchtigkeit (>70%, li) --> Farbumschlag nach rotbraun) Einsatz finden sie z.B. auf intelligenten Nahrungsmittel-Verpackungen, die vor falscher Lagerfeuchte warnen. (Diese stellt welche die Hauptursache für vorzeitigen Qualitätsverlust und Verderb von z.B. Zerealien und Backwaren dar.) Humidity sensors on (yellow) and in (blue) packaging of bread MULTI-COLORED DISPLAY OF HUMIDITY Water React films show changes of relative humidity (RH) between 70-90% ultra-sensitively with bright colors. Calibration: Measurements performed with a ‘Humistat’, a novel device developed in cooperation with FHWN. WATER REACT REVERSIBLE GLITTER Also the colors of the glitter products can be adapted as required Humidity-sensitive glitter: WATER REACT IRREVERSIBLE FILM Drop-assays using a hydrophobic grid (mesh size: 1x1mm incl. grid) to prevent spreading. Upon contact with water an irreversible color change e.g. from blue to yellow occurs. SOLVENT REACT AttoSolv-Smart Colors react to gasoline, diesel and other organic solvents in gaseous form with a defined color change. Thus they may be used for solvent detection and in artificial nose systems FOOD REACT Smart colors for the detection of food spoilage had been designed - see some expamples below: BACTOCHECK DISKS Detection of bacteria and fungi BUTTER CHECK FILM Detection of spoilage of butter MEAT CHECK Contamination of meat with bacteria or fungi FAT/OIL/LIPID CHECK FILM (100 µm Film) Detection of oxidation, souring, degradation and bacterial growth on/in oil/butter/fat/lipids and similar products , meat,.. INTELLIGENT PACKAGING Nowadays packaging has to meet requirements that go far beyond merely protecting a product. To be able to guarantee product quality and to optimize logistics, packaging is provided with more and more smart components. These do not significantly increase the total costs of the packaging but definitely the value. Whilst so-called active components directly influence the product, intelligent elements e.g. monitor its properties. Active packaging contains e.g. ethylen-absorbing materials that delay the ripening of fruits and vegetables or antibacterial coatings. Intelligent components include sensors that monitor biological processes and inform the costumer directly and easily (via a color change, for instance) about a deterioration of product quality. Also various time-temp indicators for cold chain monitoring or sensors that indicate microbial growth are already on the market or being developed. Other intelligent packaging parts like RFID-chips supplement the conventional bar code and facilitate product tracking and product identification at the supermarket check-out. Highly requested are also intelligent security labels that protect high quality goods from being counterfeited. Studies have shown that investing in intelligent packaging meets costumer demands, as the expiry date is considered important but not sufficient sensory freshness indicators are considered an important supplement nearly all costumers would pay some cent more to get a freshness and quality guarantee around 90% of all costumers value freshness indicators on products and would switch to another shop if necessary costumers trust in the freshness of a product, independent from where they bought it, if a label guarantees it