Reversible stimuli responsive lanthanide-polyoxometalate-based luminescent hydrogel with shape memory and self-healing properties for advanced information security storage

Abstract

The development of information security storage materials with high-level of security and low-cost is still a challenging task. Herein, a lanthanide-polyoxometalate-based luminescent hydrogel was constructed by noncovalent cross-linked gelatin/Na9EuW10O36 network and covalent cross-linked polyacrylamide network. The acquired hydrogel exhibited unique reversible luminescent switching properties under the stimulation of HCl/NH3 and Fe3+/ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt, respectively. It is well suitable for reversible writing and erasing of information, as well as protecting information. Encouragingly, the hydrogel also possessed good temperature-induced shape memory and self-healing properties for fabricating two- or three-dimensional information platform. As a result, the dual-stimuli luminescence response, shape memory, and self-healing characteristics were combined to improve the security of information effectively by way of the optimized design of encryption/decryption strategies. Furthermore, the hydrogel possessed relatively good UV photostability and low toxicity. To our knowledge, lanthanide-polyoxometalate-based luminescent hydrogel with dual-stimuli luminescence response, shape memory, and self-healing properties simultaneously for information security storage, has not yet been reported. This work provides an alternative strategy for constructing the lanthanide-polyoxometalate-based luminescent hydrogel for advanced information security storage.