20-02-2026
A project developed at NOVA FCT that focuses on creating more sustainable thermochromic inks compatible with large-scale industrial printing has been distinguished with the Best Poster Award at the conference “Shaping the Future of Bio-inspired Photonics”, organized by the Management Committee of the COST Action PhoBioS (CA21159 – Understanding interaction light–biological surfaces: possibility for new electronic materials and devices).
The poster, entitled “Sustainable Thermochromic Inks based on Ionic Liquid Inorganic Complexes”, was presented by Duarte B. Oliveira, the first author of the work and a PhD student from the Department of Materials Science. The study also includes contributions from Leonor Paim, Valéria Shevchuk, Pedro Barquinha, Andreia Araújo, Emanuel Carlos, and Marta C. Corvo.
The main goal of this research is to develop sustainable thermochromic inks based on thermosensitive complexes, combining highly stable inorganic materials with non-volatile ionic liquids, incorporated into aqueous formulations with cellulose derivatives. These inks were designed to print thermochromic patterns with high stability, suitable for reversible sensors on flexible substrates.
In addition to promoting a more sustainable approach compared with conventional thermochromic inks, the study demonstrates the versatility of these hybrid systems by exploring variations in color and functional behavior through changes in the ionic species of these complexes, as well as their compatibility with scalable printing techniques such as flexography and screen printing. This advancement represents a significant step toward optimizing durable and more environmentally responsible hybrid thermochromic systems, tailored for industrial printing technologies.
The “Shaping the Future of Bio-inspired Photonics” conference took place on 11 February 2026, in the Ágora Hall of NOVA FCT’s Library, bringing together researchers involved in COST Action PhoBioS to explore biologically inspired solutions for the development of new photonic materials and devices.
