Invisible inks for consumers to authenticate products

Northwestern University scientists have invented sophisticated fluorescent inks that one day could be used as multicolored barcodes for consumers to authenticate products that are often counterfeited. Snap a photo with your smartphone, and it will tell you if the item is real.
These inks, which can be printed using an inkjet printer, are invisible under normal light but visible under ultraviolet light. The inks could be stamped as barcodes or QR codes on anything from banknotes and bottles of whisky to expensive cosmetics, providing proof of authenticity. An article about the research is published in Nature Communications (News Item Northwestern University, 22 April 2015).
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Click here for the published article (2.69 MB).

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