Researchers create glowing liquids with unique ultraviolet light signatures for anti-counterfeiting
Scientists at Nottingham Trent University, along with partners in Liverpool and Manchester, developed room-temperature ionic liquids containing lanthanide elements that produce distinctive optical fingerprints under ultraviolet light.
New materials mix easily for tags
The team created four different liquids that can be combined in various proportions to form unique security codes. This method avoids the need to manufacture a completely new material for every specific code. The resulting mixtures act as flexible optical tags compatible with current printing technologies.
Distinctive patterns block counterfeiters
Each liquid contains chemical elements that emit characteristic wavelength patterns when exposed to ultraviolet radiation. These distinctive signatures give the material a unique optical fingerprint that is difficult to replicate. The study published in RSC Advances demonstrates mixtures containing two or three different lanthanide elements.
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