High Temperature Sensing and Detection for Cementitious Materials Using Manganese Violet Pigment

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Chemistry
• Engineering

Background:

• Advanced materials are crucial for temperature detection and sensing.
• Thermochromic materials offer visual temperature indication.
• Inorganic manganese violet (MV) is explored for its thermochromic behavior.

Purpose of the Study:

• To investigate the thermochromic properties of inorganic manganese violet (MV).
• To evaluate the application of MV pigment in cementitious materials for temperature sensing.
• To analyze color changes and microstructural alterations at elevated temperatures.

Main Methods:

• Thermochromic testing of MV pigment.
• Incorporation of MV pigment into cementitious materials at varying ratios (1%, 3%, 5%).
• Heating of mixed samples in a furnace with digital image capture at temperature intervals.
• Microstructural and compositional analysis using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDS).

Main Results:

• MV pigment exhibits both reversible and irreversible thermochromic properties.
• Cement samples with MV pigment showed an irreversible color change from dark violet to grayish green above 400 °C.
• At 440 °C, significant changes in RGB and Lab color space values were observed, becoming less dependent on MV pigment concentration.
• SEM and EDS analyses revealed microstructural and compositional changes post-heating.

Conclusions:

• Inorganic manganese violet is a viable thermochromic material for cementitious applications.
• The observed irreversible color change above 400 °C can serve as a visual indicator for high-temperature events in concrete structures.
• The study provides insights into the thermochromic performance and material stability of MV-modified cement.