Synergistic Chiral Diffusion and Dual-Mode Luminescence in Flexible Polymer-Stabilized Cholesteric Liquid Crystal...

Area of Science:

• Materials Science
• Optoelectronics
• Polymer Chemistry

Background:

• Anticounterfeiting technologies are crucial for product security.
• Existing methods often lack multi-functionality and dynamic display capabilities.
• Liquid crystal-based materials offer tunable optical properties.

Purpose of the Study:

• To develop a multifunctional flexible film for advanced anticounterfeiting applications.
• To integrate structural color, fluorescence, and persistent afterglow into a single material.
• To enable dynamic and secure information encryption.

Main Methods:

• Utilized polymer-stabilized cholesteric liquid crystals (PSCLC) as the base material.
• Incorporated dual-mode luminescent centers and chiral dopants within a poly(vinylidene fluoride) matrix.
• Employed electrospraying for color tuning and trimethylolpropane tris(3-mercaptopropionate) (TMPMP) for network morphology control.

Main Results:

• Achieved high-definition structural-color patterning with tunable fluorescence and persistent afterglow.
• Demonstrated dynamic optical output modulation under visible light, UV irradiation, and electric fields.
• Successfully displayed up to five distinct information layers for encryption, with reduced driving voltage and improved responsiveness.

Conclusions:

• The developed PSCLC film offers a facile, scalable route to advanced anticounterfeiting materials.
• The synergistic design provides high security, intelligent decodability, and dynamic information encryption capabilities.
• The material shows strong potential for optical sensing and secure authentication applications.