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Reconfigurable photoswitchable multistate fluorescent polymer-based information encryption toolbox

基于可重构光开关多态荧光聚合物的信息加密工具 箱

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Abstract

High-performance information encryption materials are crucial for developing advanced technologies that prevent information leakage and combat fraud. These materials must be robust, intelligent, and easily programmable. To meet these criteria, we developed an information encryption toolbox based on a series of novel self-healing photoswitchable dual (P1 and P2) and multistate (P3) fluorescent polymers using two photochromic fluorescent diarylethenes, i.e., 4-hydroxybutyl acrylate link 1,2-bis(2-methyl-1-benzothiophene-1,1-dioxide-3-yl)perfuoro-cyclopentene (SDTE), 4-(acryloyloxy)butyl 4-oxo-4-butanoate link 2,3-bis (2-methylbenzo[b]thiophen-3-yl)-5,6-dihydro-4H-thieno[2,3-b]thiopyran-4-one (BTBA) and hydrogen-bonding units, i.e., 2-ureido-4[1H]-pyrimidinone (UPy). Upon irradiation with different wavelength lights, P1/P2 can be alternated between green/red and quenched states, while P3 can be switched among red, green, and quenched states. Using these polymers to fabricate pixel units can produce reconfigurable patterns and codes displaying good mechanical properties and excellent optical characteristics, including rapid photoresponsiveness, robust photoreversibility, superior fluorescent thermal stability, and strong resistance to acid and base corrosion. Furthermore, we also demonstrated the immediate application opportunities of our toolbox in three-dimensional-code arrays and quick response codes.

摘要

具有坚固、智能、且易于编程等特性的信息加密材料对于防止 信息泄露和打击造假具有重要意义. 为此, 我们开发了一种信息加密材 料工具箱, 该工具箱基于一系列新型的自修复光开关双态(P1和P2)和 多态(P3)荧光聚合物. 这类聚合物含有两种二芳基乙烯光致变色荧光 基团(SDTE和BTBA)和四重氢键构筑单元(UPy). 在不同波长的光照射 下, P1/P2可以在绿-猝灭/红-猝灭两态之间交替, 而P3可以在红-绿-猝 灭三态之间变化. 它们可以作为像素单元用来制备可重构的图案和代 码; 所得到的图案和代码均显示出良好的机械性能和优异的光学特性, 包括快速的光响应性、突出的光可逆性、优异的荧光热稳定性和抗酸 碱腐蚀的能力. 本文展示了该工具箱在3D代码阵列和二维码信息加密 中的应用潜能.

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Acknowledgements

This work was supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC, 52273206, 52173278, and 51833011), Hunan Provincial Natural Science Foundation of China (2021JJ10029, 2020JJ3021, and 2021JJ40192), the Open Fund of Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Functional Application of Fine Polymers (E22125), and the Science and Technology Innovation Program of Hunan Province (2022RC1075 and 2021RC5028).

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Author notes

  1. These authors contributed equally to this work.

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule of Ministry of Education, Hunan Provincial Key Laboratory of Controllable Preparation and Functional Application of Fine Polymers, Hunan Province College Key Laboratory of QSAR/QSPR, School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, 411201, China

    Jiawei Jiang  (姜佳伟), Peisheng Zhang  (张培盛), Yong Tian  (田勇), Zhong Lin  (林众), Chonghua Zhang  (张崇华) & Jian Chen  (陈建)

  2. College of Chemistry and Key Laboratory of Polymeric Materials & Application Technology of Hunan Province, and Key Laboratory of Advanced Functional Polymeric Materials of College of Hunan Province, Xiangtan University, Xiangtan, 411105, China

    Jiawei Jiang  (姜佳伟) & Jian Chen  (陈建)

  3. Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, 610054, China

    Jiaxi Cui  (崔家喜)

  4. Key Laboratory for Polymeric Composite and Functional Materials of Ministry of Education, School of Chemistry, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, 510006, China

    Xudong Chen  (陈旭东)

  5. Jieyang Branch of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering Guangdong Laboratory, Jieyang, 515200, China

    Xudong Chen  (陈旭东)

Authors
  1. Jiawei Jiang  (姜佳伟)
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  2. Peisheng Zhang  (张培盛)
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  4. Zhong Lin  (林众)
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  6. Jiaxi Cui  (崔家喜)
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  7. Jian Chen  (陈建)
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  8. Xudong Chen  (陈旭东)
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Contributions

Jiang J, Cui J, and Chen J designed the project. Jiang J, Tian Y, Lin Z, Zhang C and Zhang P synthesized the compounds and performed the sample characterization; Jiang J and Zhang P performed multiple information encryption applications. Jiang J, Cui J, Chen J and Chen X analyzed the experimental data and co-wrote the manuscript. All the authors discussed the results and commented on the manuscript.

Corresponding authors

Correspondence to Jiaxi Cui  (崔家喜) or Jian Chen  (陈建).

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Conflict of interest

The authors declare that they have no conflict of interest.

Supplementary information

Experimental details and supporting data are available in the online version of the paper.

Jiawei Jiang was jointly trained by Xiangtan University and Hunan University of Science and Technology from 2019 to 2022, and received his Master’s degree in materials science and engineering from Xiangtan University in 2022; he is currently a PhD candidate at the School of Chemistry and Materials Science, University of Science and Technology of China. His research focuses on the synthesis and properties of stimuli-responsive polymers.

Peisheng Zhang is currently an associate professor at the School of Chemistry and Chemical Engineering, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China. His primary research interests include biosensing and chemometrics.

Jiaxi Cui is currently a professor at the Institute of Fundamental and Frontier Sciences, University of Electronic Science and Technology of China, Chengdu, China. He received his PhD degree in polymer chemistry and physics from Peking University in 2008, under the supervision of Prof. Xinhua Wan. His research interests focus on dynamic polymer networks, polymer surface engineering, and energy-saving technologies.

Jian Chen is currently a professor at the Key Laboratory of Theoretical Organic Chemistry and Functional Molecule of Ministry of Education, Hunan University of Science and Technology, Xiangtan, China. He received his PhD degree in materials science from the South China University of Technology in 2009. His primary research interests include photoswitchable fluorescent nanomaterials, chemosensors, and biosensors.

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Jiang, J., Zhang, P., Tian, Y. et al. Reconfigurable photoswitchable multistate fluorescent polymer-based information encryption toolbox. Sci. China Mater. 66, 1949–1958 (2023). https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-022-2309-4

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s40843-022-2309-4

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