Novel materials with optical properties for anti-counterfeiting paper

Acronym: OPTIPAPER; grant 497PED/02/11/2020; UEFISCDI Code: PN-III-P2-2.1-PED-2019-4825; November 2020 - October 2022

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Security paper designed for anti-counterfeiting documents (such are passports, banknotes, credit cards, civil status documents, property documents, diplomas etc.) are included within the category of special paper.

For each type of document that requires protection, there are chosen security papers with different security elements embedded in paper structure or at its surface. Worldwide, there are a small number of anti-counterfeiting paper companies. At national level, Vrancart S.A. is interested in the manufacturing of anti-counterfeiting paper.

This project aims at developing a range of complex security elements with optical properties, and subsequently of new security paper based on the unique characteristics of several luminescent materials developed by the research team of “Gheorghe Asachi” Technical University Iasi.

The security elements to be embedded in these special purpose papers are based on high performance polymer composites and Carbon Dots materials. One of the main advantages of using the red, green and blue emission composites already studied and developed by the research team is the possibility to obtain high resolution, true full color images and graphics embedded on papers, which become visible only under certain illumination conditions.

In case of Carbon Dots, the security paper will benefit by their unique photoluminescent properties such are color changing from deep blue to green according to the excitation wavelength and also by the simplicity of the synthesis path, physical-chemical stability and lack of toxicity.

The successful completion of the project will lead to new types of security papers and a laboratory-scaled technology for their production.

October 31st, 2022