Multi-stimuli-responsive lanthanide metallogels with chromic behaviors for time-resolved information encryption and...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Supramolecular Chemistry
• Optoelectronics

Background:

• Multi-stimuli responsive fluorescent materials offer dynamic optical features for enhanced information security.
• Time-resolved color changes are crucial for advanced encryption and anti-counterfeiting systems.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a luminescent lanthanide metallogel for programmable, time-dependent, and multi-level encryption.
• To achieve independent modulation of optical information layers via external stimuli.

Main Methods:

• Co-assembly of terbium ions (Tb3+) with 4,4',4''-(1,3,5-triazine-2,4,6-triimino)-tribenzoic acid (H3L) to form a green-emissive gel.
• Incorporation of sulforhodamine B and a spiropyran derivative for cascade energy transfer and fluorescence modulation.
• Demonstration of visible light-induced photochromism, thermochromism, and acidochromism within a single platform.

Main Results:

• The metallogel exhibited programmable, time-dependent, and multi-level color transitions upon sequential stimuli application.
• Efficient cascade energy transfer and multi-stimuli-responsive fluorescence modulation were achieved.
• The material demonstrated visible light-induced photochromism, thermochromism, and acidochromism.

Conclusions:

• A versatile strategy for designing dynamic multi-stimuli-responsive soft materials was established.
• The developed metallogel shows significant potential for advanced optical security technologies, including information encryption and anti-counterfeiting.
• Independent modulation of optical information layers enables sophisticated security features.