According to one embodiment, a position determination unit of a printing system determines a printing position of printing information printed on an object to be printed conveyed by a conveyance machine. An erasing unit erases the printing information printed using thermochromic ink by emitting heat from a heat source, a height position of which is adjusted according to the printing position, from a direction perpendicular to a conveyance direction according to a timing at which the printing position, determined based on the printing position, passes. A printing unit includes a printer using the thermochromic ink, disposed behind the heat source along the conveyance direction, and prints information on the object to be printed from the direction perpendicular to the conveyance direction by the printer, a height position of which is adjusted according to the printing position, according to the timing at which the printing position passes. A facing mechanism causes a printing surface of the object to be printed to face a printer head of the printer at least when the printing unit prints the information.

Heat-seal condition indicating packages include a first sealing substrate comprising a leuco dye and a second sealing substrate comprising a leuco dye developer. The packages may optionally include a leuco dye sensitizer which dissolves both the leuco dye and the leuco dye developer when melted. The packages further include a heat-seal produced between the first sealing substrate and the second seating substrate. The heat-sea! comprises a reaction product of the leuco dye and the leuco dye developer. The reaction product may be colored, which may provide the heat-seal with a detectable optical characteristic. A magnitude of the optical characteristic may be proportion to the strength of the seal between the first and second seating substrates.

A laser markable article includes a first laser markable layer capable of forming a colour upon exposure to UV radiation, a second and optionally a third laser markable layer capable of forming a colour upon exposure to IR radiation, wherein the second or third laser markable layer includes a specific polymethine infrared radiation absorbing dye (IR dye). A colour laser marking method includes forming a first colour upon exposure to UV radiation and a second and optionally a third colour upon exposure to IR radiation.

A reversible recording medium according to an embodiment of the present disclosure includes a first layer that reversibly changes between an achromatic state and a transparent state, and a second layer that reversibly changes between a chromatic state and a transparent state.

Color change compositions that transition from a first to second color state upon application of an applied stimulus are provided. Also provided are substrates having the compositions on a surface thereof, as well as methods of making and using the compositions.

A container is disclosed which may be used with fluids sensitive to light of one or more known wavelengths. The container may be formed of a thermochromic material or including a thermochromic coating. The properties of the thermochromic material or coating may be selected so as to be transparent to light of the wavelength to which the fluid is sensitive at a first temperature and to be opaque to that wavelength of light at a second temperature. While a technician is handling the container, the container is controlled to be at the first temperature. When the technician is finished, the container is controlled to move to the second temperature to protect the fluid within the container.

Color change compositions that transition from a first to second color state upon application of an applied stimulus are provided. Also provided are substrates having the compositions on a surface thereof, as well as methods of making and using the compositions.

Thermochromic coatings are improved by mixing thermochromic capsules with polymer resins in a manner that imparts shelf stability to flowable precursors that may be cured quickly using dodecylbenzenesulfonic acid and/or other acid catalysts to form relatively hard coatings that are capable of withstanding machine operations, such as the operations needed to make beverage can lids, bottle caps, pull tabs and the like.

A forgery prevention medium includes a substrate and a specific invisible material layer directly or indirectly laminated on the substrate, having a specific invisible material reversibly and visually recognized through a predetermined process disposed thereon in a plane shape, and having a part of the specific invisible material inactivated in accordance with a visualized image pattern.

Ink formulations and methods of using the same in laser-imaging are provided. An ink formulation can comprise a graphene-based component, a colour change agent, a binder, and a solvent. Substrates, coatings, and articles comprising a graphene-based component are also provided, and laser marking can be brought about by an ablation or direct charring process.