Generic types of thermochromic polymers classified by the effect on light causing the thermochromic behavior
| effects on light | origin | macroscopic behavior | polymer class |
| reflection | periodic structures | ΔI, Δλmax |
cholesteric liquid crystalline polymers crystalline colloidal arrays embedded in a gel-network gels |
| absorption | chromophoric groups | ΔI, Δλmax |
conjugated polymers hydrogels containing indicator dyes |
| scattering | areas with different refractive indices | ΔT% |
polymer blends exhibiting LCST hydrogels exhibiting LCST lyotropic liquid crystalline hydrogels |
LCST: lower critical solution temperature