UV light-switchable transparent polymer films and invisible luminescent inks based on carbon dots and lanthanide complexes

Abstract

We present a simple approach for the preparation of UV light-switchable transparent composite polymer films and invisible luminescent inks based on the combination of carbon dots (CDs) and trisdipicolinate lanthanide complexes. The emission colors of the resulting polymer films and inks can be switched from multicolor of lanthanide complexes to blue color of CDs depending on the change in UV light illumination from 254 to 365 nm. The facile preparation and unique optical features make these materials applicable in numerous fields involving advanced optical devices and anti-counterfeiting technologies.