Global Chemochromic Materials Market

Chemochromic Materials Market: Insights

Chemochromic materialsare recently developed smart materials that are capable of changing their color when there is a chemical change occurs in the environment. Chemochromic materials have been developed and used extensively in aerospace applications by NASA. Aerospace industries have been using hydrogen as a fuel source to generate the massive amounts of energy required to launch a space shuttle. Hydrogen is an extremely volatile substance and has been the cause of various fatal accidents in recent times. A leakage in the hydrogen storage tanks especially in the aerospace sector can prove to be extremely fatal, which has prompted researchers to come up with accurate tools to alert them to the presence of hydrogen as it is odorless and colorless. Chemochromic materials like tungsten oxide change color in the presence of hydrogen as the hydrogen will cause a change in the bonding structure of the chemochromic materials. This change in structure will cause a change in the light that is refracted by the molecule thereby giving it a different color than the original. Chemochormic materials have been used to make dual-layered window panes that change color when it detects the presence of hydrogen in between the two panes. Chemochromic materials have been used in litmus papers to identify acids and bases and also in pregnancy test kits. The chemochromic materials used in litmus paper tests are a subgroup of chemochromic materials known as halochromic materials while pregnancy tests use ionochromic materials. In recent times, chemochromic materials are being used to create dyes that are capable of changing color and are used to create novelty products like thermochromic mugs that change color when there is a temperature change.

The growing space race in countries as humans look beyond the earth has increased the demand for chemochromic materials. Another major driver is the growing usage of chemochromic materials as dyes in textiles, manufacturing of novelty products, and quality control. The market is restrained by the difficulty in the sourcing of chemochromic materials, difficulty in gauging the change in color and, the increasing availability of materials that are more effective compared to chemochromic materials.

Chemochromic Materials Market: By Form of Availability

Based on the form of availability, the chemochromic materials market can be segmented into solids& liquids. The dominant segment was the solids segment. Most chemochromic dyes are sold as solids which are then mixed with liquids to create dyes. Most chemochromic materials that are sourced are in solid forms. Chemochromic materials are most commonly produced as solids owing to the ease of manufacture, storage, and transportation of solids over liquids. Liquid dyes are susceptible to drying out without proper storage and can reduce the luster of the dye. Chemochromic materials in the solid form are cheaper and easier to use, transport, and store than liquid chemochromic materials which have resulted in the solids segment dominating the market.         

Chemochromic Materials Market: By End-User

The chemochromic materials market can be segmented on the basis of end-user applications astextiles, aerospace, healthcare, packaging, chemical, and others. The aerospace industry held the largest segment of the market. However, due to the wide application range of chemochromic materials in the textile industry, the textile segment will grow the fastest. The aerospace industry uses chemochromic materials extensively to detect hydrogen gas leakages. As hydrogen is an important fuel source and its high volatility makes the use of chemochromic materials vital to the industry. This use of chemochromic materials in the aerospace industry has resulted in the aerospace segment dominate the chemochromic materials market. The textiles industry uses chemochromic materials as dyes to create aesthetically pleasing textiles. The textiles based on such smart materials are able to change color based on external stimulus and increase the attractiveness of the textiles to the consumer. This increase in demand for chemochromic dyes in the textiles industry is expected to increase the demand for chemochromic materials.

Chemochromic Materials Market: By Region

As per the regional market value analysis, the US, Canada, and Mexico (North American region) will be the dominant countries in the chemochromic materials market. The growing aerospace industry and increased research in aerospace industries on hydrogen storage have resulted in an increase in the demand for chemochromic materials in the region. Asia Pacific region will grow faster than North America and Europe in terms of CAGR value. Countries like China are major manufacturers of novelty items, with the growing demand for smart material-based products there is an increase in the demand for chemochromic materials in the region. The textiles industry especially in India and other southeast Asian countries has seen an increase in the demand for chemochromic dyes in the region. The aerospace industry in the region is also slowly booming owing to the increase in research funding in aerospace industries which is also expected to have a positive impact on the demand for chemochromic materials in the region.Increasing investments in the aerospace researchand space exploration vehicles industries by China, India, and Japan will help drive the market. Hydrogen is an important fuel source to generate the required energy needed for launch, it is becoming increasingly necessary to conduct periodic hydrogen leakage checks to ensure the safety of the personnel and prevent damage to the vehicle. Chemochromic materials are being increasingly used for detecting hydrogen gas leakages in these countries.

Chemochromic Materials Market: Share & Competitor Analysis

New Color Chemical Co. Ltd, Hallcrest LLC,Olicrom LCR,Chromatic Technologies Inc., New Prisematic Enterprise Co. Ltd.,Matsui International Company Inc.,Smarol Industry Co. Ltd., Hali Industrial Co. Ltd.,Gem’Innov,Kolorjet Chemicals Pvt. Ltd., Shanghai Caisen Color Material Chem Co. Ltd.,Kolortek Co.,and QCR Solutions Corp., among others,are the majorvendors competing in the chemochromic materialsmarket.

Please note: This is not an exhaustive list of companies profiled in the report.