CTI Launches Inks for Tamper Evidence

Published: September 06, 2017

COLORADO SPRINGS, CO | Chromatic Technologies Inc. (CTI) reports the introduction of Tamper Alert, a new irreversible, heat-activated ink technology to identify tamper evidence in labels and packaging for chemicals, pharmaceuticals, food, electronics, and other products targeted for theft and counterfeiting. 

The technology is said to provide customers with a tight activation window in which the alert transitions from colorless to full color within a range of 10 deg C. The company says traditional irreversible technologies require a transition window between 30–50 deg C. (86 deg–122 deg F.), resulting in weak color activation and detection at lower temperatures.

“For much of our 24-year-history, CTI has produced inks that change ‘back and forth’ based on temperature or sunlight,” says Lyle Small, CTI’s founder and CEO. “This was demonstrated in our ink used recently for the US Postal Service 2017 solar eclipse stamp. Now, we’ve perfected an ink that goes only one-way. It’s irreversible, and it’s used to show a product that has been tampered with or has undergone temperature changes that impact the product’s quality.”

The Tamper Alert invention also incorporates the company’s “Turbo” color technology, reportedly creating the strongest color alert in tamper evidence in blue, green, black, and red.

“CTI receives 30 calls every year from across the world seeking improved tamper-evidence technology,” Small says. “We’re constantly asked, ‘Do you have something that activates in a tighter temperature window and has stronger color?’ It was very tough chemistry to figure out, but the team finally did it.”

At present, Tamper Alert is available only in water-based applications.

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