Photoluminescence Properties of Nanophotonic Labels Based on Ag Nanoparticles for Smart Packaging Produced by Screen Printing

Abstract

Smart packaging becomes more popular as it increases the safety of food consumption by monitoring a packaged food state and informing the customer about it, for example, by visual reaction of a special label on its surface. Nanomaterials can provide the needed functionality to such labels. Application of ink compositions containing silver nanoparticles on paper materials by screen printing is quite promising. A special ink composition was developed based on Ag nanoparticles that possess changeable photoluminescence properties in contact with compounds that indicate food decay. The possibility of application of this ink onto the surface of paper-based materials via screen printing was studied. The influence of ink layer thickness, characteristics of paper materials (degree of sizing, content of optical brighteners), and content of the fluorescent component in the ink composition on photoluminescence properties of printed labels for smart packaging was investigated. It was determined how to choose proper values of these technological parameters in order to obtain high luminescence intensity and predetermined luminescence color of printed labels using the developed nanophotonic inks. The results of the study allow industrial production of functional labels for smart packaging with nanophotonic elements with the needed optical (photoluminescence) characteristics, as well as for protecting packaging from counterfeiting.