QUANTUM DOT SECURITY INKS
Counterfeiting of fashion apparel, pharmaceuticals, banknotes, electronics, legal documents, and other high value items is a global problem in excess of $500B globally. One way to fight the black market for counterfeit items is with a security ink authentication system. The security ink imparts a unique optical feature that can be used to verify the authenticity of the item. Some examples of unique optical signatures are holograms, fluorescent dyes, angle-dependent colors, and watermarks. Watermarks have been integrated into documents to verify authenticity since at least as early as the 1200’s. Over time as counterfeiters became more sophisticated, increasingly novel security features have been sought. The extraordinary tunability in the optical properties, especially the photoluminescence, of quantum dots makes them well-suited for security ink applications. Furthermore, the difficulty in making quantum dots stable in the long term creates a barrier for counterfeiters attempting to reproduce the effect.
The tunability of UbiQD quantum dot dimension and composition imparts a controlled and unique optical signature. The optical signature is simultaneously recognizable and exceedingly difficult to replicate. Customers are able to select the signal for detection, like selecting a radio station on the FM dial. When developed for security ink applications we take advantage of our non-hazardous sustainable materials, ease of dispersion, and stability.
