Ligand (biochemistry)

Physics

Receptor

Nanotechnology

Organic chemistry

Lanthanide

Förster resonance energy transfer

Isomerization

Catalysis

Chemistry

Materials science

Diarylethene

Molecule

Quantum mechanics

Photochromism

Supramolecular chemistry

Biochemistry

Photochemistry

Fluorescence

Nature Communications

While photoluminescence printing is a widely applied anticounterfeiting technique, there are still challenges in developing new generation anticounterfeiting materials with high security. Here we report the construction of a photoresponsive supramolecular coordination polyelectrolyte (SCP) through hierarchical self-assembly of lanthanide ion, bis-ligand and diarylethene unit, driven by metal-ligand coordination and ionic interaction. Owing to the conformation-dependent photochromic fluorescence resonance energy transfer between the lanthanide donor and diarylethene acceptor, the ring-closure/ring-opening isomerization of the diarylethene unit leads to a photoreversible luminescence on/off switch in the SCP. The SCP is then utilized as security ink to print various patterns, through which photoreversible multiple information patterns with visible/invisible transformations are realized by simply alternating the irradiation with UV and visible light. This work demonstrates the possibility of developing a new class of smart anticounterfeiting materials, which could be operated in a noninvasive manner with a higher level of security.

Photoresponsive supramolecular coordination polyelectrolyte as smart anticounterfeiting inks