Thermochromic poplar that changes colour at 16–30 °C

Thermochromic poplar specimens were prepared by directly filling the thermochromic dye into poplar samples. After thermochromic dye infiltration, the thermochromic poplar samples were covered by polypropylene wax for preventing thermochromic dye overflowing from thermochromic poplar under the action of phase-change temperature. This thermochromic dye is lauryl alcohol and methyl red mixture that has better permeability enabling its infiltration into wood and better thermochromic sensitivity enabling its thermochromism in short time. This thermochromic poplar, whose colour can change from light-red to dark-red at 16–30 °C, can recover to light-red at below 13 °C after about 14 h, and the peak value of colour change is at about 25 °C. Compared with the original poplar specimens, the hardness of thermochromic poplar rises by about 88.66%, the radial compressive strength increases by about 14.73%, and the radial bending strength increases by about 26.18%. Thermochromic poplar will be suitable for materials used in thermochromic furniture that can indicate the surface temperature to potential users, allowing them to assess the likely thermal comfort, and that can record the user's usage traces when touching its surface.