LOW TEMPERATURE INDICATOR MIXTURE, DEVICE AND METHOD FOR MONITORING A TEMPERATURE TRANSITION AT LOW TEMPERATURES

The invention relates to a low temperature indicator mixture for indicating/monitoring a temperature transition within a temperature range of between −20° C. and −160° C., which comprises at least one dye, e.g. oil red, methyl rot, brilliant green, rhodamine B, and at least one alcohol selected from the group that comprises octane-1-ol, nonan-1-ol, propane-1,2-diol, propane-1,3-diol, butane-1,2-diol, butane-1,3-diol, butane-2-ol, pentane-1,5- diol, pentane-1-ol, cyclopentanol, benzyl alcohol, wherein the melt temperature of the mixture is within the aforementioned temperature range. Further aspects of the invention relate to devices and methods for indicating/monitoring a temperature transition within the aforementioned temperature range, in which devices and methods the aforementioned low temperature indicator mixture is used. In a specific embodiment, a device of this kind comprises at least the following components in at least one closed space: a) a partial region, which is at least partially filled with an indicator mixture as defined above; b) a second partial region, which is at least partially filled with an absorbent material, said material being optionally separated from the indicator mixture by a separating element; and c) optionally means to penetrate the separating element to bring the indicator mixture in a liquid state into contact with the absorbent material. In a method according to the invention for temperature monitoring using a device of this kind, a check is carried out to determine whether at least part of the indicator mixture was absorbed by the absorbent material, which indicates an at least temporary increase in the temperature of the device to at least the melt temperature of the indicator mixture.