Fluorescent cellulose-based materials for information encryption and anti-counterfeiting

The development of anti-counterfeiting and information encryption (AcIE) technology has an essential effect on reducing economic losses and ensuring public safety. Cellulose-based fluorescent materials are usually composed of cellulose and fluorophores, which not only have the characteristic of stimulus-responsive fluorescence conferred by fluorophores to improve information encryption and anti-counterfeiting properties, but also have the processable characteristic endowed by cellulose, providing a solid foundation for convenient application. Cellulose-based fluorescent AcIE materials have gained much attention due to their low cost, easy manufacturing and economic efficiency in preparation, versatility and safety in use, and renewable and biodegradable advantages in post-use treatment. To better develop the application of cellulose-based fluorescent materials in AcIE, we summarized the latest progress of cellulose-based fluorescent AcIE materials, discusses the function of cellulose and the encryption/decryption mode of cellulose-based fluorescent materials, and briefly introduces the properties of cellulose and its derivatives, along with the preparation methods of cellulose-based fluorescent materials. In particular, we explore the prospects of cellulose-based fluorescent materials in anti-counterfeiting from a design and functional perspective, analyze future opportunities for these anti-counterfeiting materials to have a greater impact through improving scalability and multifunctional properties.