What is a Del Sol Spectrachrome® Color-Changing Crystal?

Del Sol's special formula for color-change technology was developed from a concept originally explored by NASA and the U.S. military. Over the span of several years, Del Sol has made revolutionary enhancements to the color-change technology by developing its proprietary, patent-pending Spectrachrome® crystal. The sun-powered® crystal dyes used in Del Sol's product line are unparalleled in the color-change industry.

Del Sol has since grown to be recognized as the leader in the industry for color-changing, retail-specialty products, and the only world-wide producer of Spectrachrome® crystal dyes. Our product line features the brightest and most vibrant colors of the rainbow. Simply add the sun's ultraviolet rays to our products and watch the Spectrachrome® colors magically appear!

Spectrachrome® Technology

What are the crystals made of?
The Spectrachrome® crystal is chemically engineered of organic materials.

How does it work?
The Spectrachrome® crystal reveals color upon irradiation by ultraviolet waves; i.e., sunlight. When a flower blooms, the result is the exposure of the inherent color of the flower. A Spectrachrome® crystal is similar in that an energy-shift occurs causing the color of the dye to become visible to the human eye. The shifting or "twisting" of the dye is referred to as a molecular excitation transition. The dye does not actually "change" color; rather, it becomes visible to the human eye. Research shows that some animals; e.g., certain species of bats, can actually see the color of a Spectrachrome® crystal in its inactive state.

What wavelength causes the reaction?
Although each Spectrachrome® crystal operates at a slightly different wavelength, the optimal wavelength is 365 nanometers.

Does the molecule become larger when it is irradiated?
No, however it does take on a physical change.

How many colors are there?
To date, there are more than 30 colors. Many of these are quite similar to one another; hence, the usable range is narrowed to about 10. The Del Sol Spectrachrome® chemists have tested over 6,000 products.