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Evaporation-coded fluorescent gradients in supramolecular gels displaying aggregation-induced emission: A dynamic route to encryption and anti-counterfeiting

  • 0School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Henan Institute of Science and Technology, Xinxiang, Henan 453003, PR China.
Journal of Colloid and Interface Science +

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August 8, 2025

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August 8, 2025

View abstract on PubMed

Summary

This summary is machine-generated.

This study introduces a novel supramolecular gel that uses solvent evaporation for dynamic information encryption. This aggregation-induced emission (AIE) material offers advanced anti-counterfeiting solutions through reversible fluorescence changes.

Area Of Science

  • Materials Science
  • Supramolecular Chemistry
  • Nanotechnology

Background

  • Supramolecular gels are promising functional materials but often suffer from performance degradation due to solvent evaporation.
  • Existing strategies to improve gel stability rarely utilize solvent loss as a functional mechanism.

Purpose Of The Study

  • To develop an aggregation-induced emission (AIE)-active supramolecular gel for dynamic information encryption and anti-counterfeiting applications.
  • To leverage solvent evaporation as a key driver for material functionality.

Main Methods

  • Fabrication of a multicomponent co-assembly involving a phenylalanine-functionalized 1,3,5-benzenetricarboxamide derivative (C3-Phe), sodium hyaluronate (HA), and Al3+ ions.
  • Immobilization of an AIE luminogen (TPE-CA) within the gel matrix to significantly enhance its quantum yield.
  • Incorporation of fluorescent dyes (DBT and RhB) to establish a cascade Förster resonance energy transfer (FRET) platform for tunable multicolor emission.

Main Results

  • The supramolecular gel demonstrated a significant increase in AIE luminogen quantum yield from 1.91% to 62.43% upon immobilization.
  • Controlled water evaporation induced time-dependent fluorescence chromatic shifts and quenching.
  • The observed fluorescence changes were fully reversible upon water replenishment, indicating dynamic and adaptive behavior.

Conclusions

  • The developed AIE supramolecular gel effectively exploits solvent evaporation for information encryption and anti-counterfeiting.
  • The material exhibits a 4D encryption platform with multistage authentication and self-erasing capabilities.
  • This work presents a novel paradigm for adaptive smart materials utilizing reversible fluorescence phenomena.

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