Programmable metal ion-induced patterned multicolour carboxymethylcellulose-based fluorescent hydrogels for...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Polymer Chemistry
• Nanotechnology

Background:

• Developing advanced materials for information encryption is crucial for data security.
• Existing encryption methods face challenges in usability, security, and data capacity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To create a novel interpenetrating polymer network hydrogel for enhanced information encryption.
• To develop a multi-color fluorescent material responsive to specific stimuli for data encoding.

Main Methods:

• Copolymerization of carboxymethyl cellulose and acrylamide to form an interpenetrating polymer network.
• Incorporation of gold nanoclusters and coumarin derivatives for tunable fluorescence (red, blue, green).
• Utilizing metal ion (Hg ²⁺ , Fe ³⁺ ) induced fluorescence changes for patterning and immobilization on various surfaces.

Main Results:

• Successfully synthesized three types of fluorescent hydrogels with distinct emission colors.
• Demonstrated responsive fluorescence changes to Hg ²⁺ and Fe ³⁺ ions, enabling precise patterning.
• Achieved information encoding and encryption via physical/chemical stimuli, UV light, and smartphone scanning.

Conclusions:

• The developed carboxymethyl cellulose-based fluorescent hydrogel offers a novel platform for advanced information storage.
• The metal ion-induced, multi-color patterning strategy integrated with smartphone scanning meets demands for digital encryption.
• The fluorescence quenching mechanism was elucidated, linked to specific functional groups within the hydrogel matrix.