Ultra-stable room temperature phosphorescence CDs-based composite materials for anti-counterfeiting application

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Nanotechnology
• Chemistry

Background:

• Widespread counterfeit products necessitate advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions.
• Heteroatom-doped carbon dots (CDs) show potential for luminescent applications.
• Melamine phosphate (MP) offers a protective matrix for functional materials.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a novel composite material for effective anti-counterfeiting applications.
• To enhance the room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) properties of carbon dots.
• To investigate the stability and applicability of the composite under various conditions.

Main Methods:

• Dispersing nitrogen and sulfur co-doped carbon dots (N, S-CDs) into a melamine phosphate (MP) matrix.
• Characterizing the structural and luminescent properties of the N, S-CDs@MP composite.
• Evaluating the long-lived room temperature phosphorescence (RTP) performance and stability.

Main Results:

• The N, S-CDs@MP composite demonstrated strong green RTP.
• Achieved a phosphorescence quantum yield of 9.27% and a lifetime of 489 ms.
• The RTP emission remained stable even under extreme environmental conditions.

Conclusions:

• The N, S-CDs@MP composite exhibits excellent and stable RTP properties.
• This material is a promising candidate for advanced anti-counterfeiting technologies.
• The study presents a facile method for preparing a new RTP material for information encryption and graphic anti-counterfeiting.