Luminescent Security Ink- Combating Counterfeiting through Security Ink

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Luminescent Security Ink- Relevance for UPSC Exam

GS Paper 3: Science and Technology- Achievements of Indians in science & technology; indigenization of technology and developing new technology.

Recently, Indian Scientist has developed a highly stable and non-toxic security ink from nano-materials that spontaneously emit light (luminescent) due to its unique chemical properties.
Associated benefits: security ink will help in combating the counterfeiting of branded goods, bank notes, medicine, certificates, currency.
- It is generally used as covert tags to combat counterfeiting.

Present Issue: Rampant counterfeiting of branded goods, banknotes, medicine, certificates, currency, and other important documents.
Luminescent ink: Most of the security inks available today are based on luminescent materials that absorb a high-energy photon and emit a low-energy photon, technically called downshifting.
Associated issues:
- The covert tag is invisible under daylight but becomes visible under UV light.
- These single emission-based tags are also prone to replication.

Development of the security ink: Institute of Nano Science and Technology developed non-toxic metal phosphate-based ink with excitation dependant luminescent propertie.
Superiority over other Luminescent inks: Unlike others, it is highly stable under practical conditions such as temperature, humidity and light, etc.
Chemical composition: The luminescent security ink developed by the researcher is based on lanthanide ions (Ln3+) doped Gd1-xBixPO4 nano-materials.

About: Institute of Nano Science and Technology is an autonomous institution of the Department of Science and Technology (DST), Government of India.
Mandate: It has been established under the umbrella of NANO MISSION, initiated by DST to boost research and development in the field of Nanoscience and Nanotechnology in India.
Mission: It has set a unique mission to work at the forefront of fundamental science together with the development of technologies to address problems of national and global priorities.