Phase Patterning of Poly(oxime-ester) for Information Encryption by Photo-induced Isomerization

Abstract

Crystal polymers or liquid crystal elastomers undergo a phase transition that results in a change in the corresponding optical properties, which has the potential to be applied in areas such as information encryption and anti-counterfeiting. The utilization of these materials for patterning purposes requires different phase transition temperatures. However, once prepared, altering the phase transition temperature of them presents significant challenges. Herein, a poly(oxime-ester) (POE) network is developed to achieve high-resolution and multilevel patterning by photo-induced isomerization. The as-prepared POE exhibits the ability to transition from an opaque state to a transparent state under temperature stimuli, with the transition temperature and kinetics dependent on UV light exposure time. Thus, complex patterns and information can be encrypted through different selective regional exposure time and decrypted under specific temperature or cooling time. Furthermore, we illustrate an example of temporal communication, where cooling time or temperature serves as the encoded information. This research expands the application scope of advanced encryption materials, showcasing the potential of POE in dynamic information encryption and decryption processes.