| Kuraray Plastics Co., Ltd. has announced the development of the thermosensitive hose that changes hue according to the temperature of the liquid flowing within it. The new hose will go on sale July 11 (patent pending). The use of this hose will make possible the routine and easy monitoring of liquids as they flow through hoses, which in turn will facilitate highly safe process control. In addition, the color-change allows operators to avoid prolonged exposure of the hose to temperatures outside its recommended temperature range, preventing damage to the hose. The coil stiffener of this hose uses a fiber containing a special material that changes hue in reaction to temperature change, a fiber Kuraray Plastics developed jointly with The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd., the leading firm in the field of thermosensitive materials. Because the thermosensitive material is colored by mixing the three primary colors, it can display virtually any hue from white to black. The thermosensitivity is functional at temperatures ranging from -10°C to 60°C, within the range of ordinary manufacturing processes. The hose is designed to change hue when the temperature reaches 0.5°C above or below its set range. Varying hue and color allows a number of settings. For instance, a hose that would change colors at 40°C to indicate the existence of an abnormal condition would behave as follows. 1. Purple at normal temperatures of up to 40°C. 2. Change to red at temperatures of 40°C or above. Kuraray Plastics Co., Ltd. is working to develop applications and foster demand from various processing, manufacturing, and agricultural industries in which strict temperature control is needed. The Company is also moving ahead with joint product planning and development to precisely match user requirements. Characteristics • Highly safe - The Pilot Ink Co., Ltd. uses the same thermosensitive material in toys for babies, and it is a highly safe material under the provisions of the Food Sanitation Law. • Compatible with a broad range of hose materials - Can be used with any resin commonly used to make hoses. These include polyvinyl chloride, urethane, polypropylene, and the thermoplastic resins HYBRAR and SEPTON. • When used indoors, thermosensitivity is semi-permanent - If used outside and exposed to sunlight, over the long term its thermosensitive color changing properties will degrade. Can be used indoors semipermanently. |