India: Anti-counterfeiting ink developed to combat duplication of currency

October 30, 2024 by News Desk

The Ministry of Science and Technology has introduced a breakthrough in anti-counterfeiting technology with the development of a new ink designed to enhance security for currency, certificates, branded products, and medicines.

This innovative ink, created by researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), uses luminescent nanomaterials to produce distinct color changes under different light wavelengths, allowing for easy verification of authenticity.

According to the ministry’s press release, the ink incorporates rare earth materials that emit unique colors depending on the type of light exposure.

For instance, the ink glows blue under 365 nm light, pink under 395 nm light, and orange-red under 980 nm near-infrared (NIR) light. Unlike conventional UV-sensitive security tags, which are often vulnerable to replication, this new ink provides “excitation-dependent luminescence,” making it much harder to counterfeit.

The ink is stable under various environmental conditions, including temperature fluctuations, humidity, and light exposure. It is produced through a straightforward process where nanomaterials are combined with commercially available PVC ink and applied using screen-printing techniques.

The result is a vibrant, color-changing ink that can be used to print patterns and characters for anti-counterfeiting measures.

This development could have wide-reaching implications, offering industries and consumers a reliable method for verifying the authenticity of products, documents, and currency.