ToolTag · Tuneable Luminescent Signatures Based on Bio-based Carbon Dots for High-Security Encryption Tags

Security systems based on luminescent signatures are the most widely used for the development of anti-counterfeiting technologies, authentication, and interactive marketing. These systems, when combined with physical unclonable functions (PUFs) produced usingcost-effective and reproducible techniques, can offer an effective solution for a drastic reduction in the circulation of pirated products worldwide. The ""Tuneable Luminescent Signatures Based on Bio-based Carbon Dots for High-Security Encryption Tags"" (ToolTag) project aims to develop an efficient, configurable, and scalable protocol for creating anti-counterfeiting systems. This will be achieved by modifying carbon quantum dots (CDs) through electron irradiation (EI) to create PUFs. Since the luminescent signature of CDs can be influenced by the chemical environment, these tags are also expected to be used for evaluating the quality control of food products. To achieve this goal, two approaches will be adopted to modify the CDs using EI: the first involves the modulation of the luminescent signature of CDs in the liquid state for subsequent ink fabrication and PUF printing, while the second consists of the insitu generation of CDs on polymeric substrates through the in-situ printing of PUFs via EI. For the final development of the anticounterfeiting technology, an algorithm will be designed to convert the raw luminescent signals from the CDs into a unique digital signature. This multi-disciplinary approach, combining nanotechnology, materials science, and data processing, positions ToolTag as a groundbreaking solution in the fight against counterfeiting, offering a scalable and configurable protocol that can be tailored to various industries. By leveraging the latest advances in EI, this project pushes the boundaries of current anti-counterfeiting technologies, providing a novel, efficient, and consumer-friendly tool for verifying product authenticity and quality.""