A laser-assisted method embeds luminescent taggant particles in the surface of a substrate to provide a covert method of evaluating the authenticity of articles so treated.

A method of making a metallic credit card from an existing plastic credit card including the steps of cutting the existing plastic credit card from each side edge, peeling the plastic top layer from its bottom plastic substrate, removing its EMV chip, and attaching it to a metallic substrate. The metallic substrate can further be laser engraved with the user's personal information.

A method of making a metallic credit card from an existing plastic credit card including the steps of cutting the existing plastic credit card from each side edge, peeling the plastic top layer from its bottom plastic substrate, removing its EMV chip, and attaching it to a metallic substrate. The metallic substrate can further be laser engraved with the user's personal information.

A polymer substrate for producing polymer papers of value or polymer security papers is described. The polymer substrate may include a polymer carrier layer, at least one security element applied at least one of onto and into the polymer carrier layer, and a primer. The primer may be applied onto at least one of a first substrate side and a second substrate side of the polymer substrate. The primer may be arranged, at least in some sections, between the polymer carrier layer and the at least one security element. Additionally and/or alternatively, the primer may cover at least one of the at least one security element and the polymer carrier layer such that regions of the at least one security element covered by the primer are not as well visible as regions of the at least one security element and/or the polymer carrier layer not covered by the primer.

A polymer substrate for producing polymer papers of value or polymer security papers is described. The polymer substrate may include a polymer carrier layer, at least one security element applied at least one of onto and into the polymer carrier layer, and a primer. The primer may be applied onto at least one of a first substrate side and a second substrate side of the polymer substrate. The primer may be arranged, at least in some sections, between the polymer carrier layer and the at least one security element. Additionally and/or alternatively, the primer may cover at least one of the at least one security element and the polymer carrier layer such that regions of the at least one security element covered by the primer are not as well visible as regions of the at least one security element and/or the polymer carrier layer not covered by the primer.

A structure for secure containment of information (SSCI) that is in the form of a laminate which includes at least two layers. The laminate is constructed to contain information such as a code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key or personal identification number (PIN). The information is located between the layer of the laminate such that the code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key, or PIN is not detectable from outside the laminate. The SSCI is configured to provide access and expose the code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key, or PIN by delaminating at least one layer, thereby indicating that tampering has occurred to the laminate. The SSCI can also function as a public key or private key for a blockchain, to provide access to a physical lock or to provide account access to claim financial value.

A structure for secure containment of information (SSCI) that is in the form of a laminate which includes at least two layers. The laminate is constructed to contain information such as a code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key or personal identification number (PIN). The information is located between the layer of the laminate such that the code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key, or PIN is not detectable from outside the laminate. The SSCI is configured to provide access and expose the code, serial number, informational feature, encryption key, or PIN by delaminating at least one layer, thereby indicating that tampering has occurred to the laminate. The SSCI can also function as a public key or private key for a blockchain, to provide access to a physical lock or to provide account access to claim financial value.

A method for marking a product (1) with a photoluminescent mark, said mark comprising a photoluminescent portion (10) which is transparent under normal light conditions and revealed by photoluminescence under UV illumination, said mark further comprising a non photoluminescent portion (9) which is transparent under normal light conditions as well s under UV illumination, said method comprising: deposing on said product a stack, said stack comprising alternatively layers (2,4) such as AlN, with a thickness of less than 1 micron and layers (3) of a second material, such as GaN with a thickness of less than 10 nm; raising the transparency of said non photoluminescent portion (10) with a deposition of transparent material (6) or incorporation of ions into said non photoluminescent portions.

A method for marking a product (1) with a photoluminescent mark, said mark comprising a photoluminescent portion (10) which is transparent under normal light conditions and revealed by photoluminescence under UV illumination, said mark further comprising a non photoluminescent portion (9) which is transparent under normal light conditions as well s under UV illumination, said method comprising: deposing on said product a stack, said stack comprising alternatively layers (2,4) such as AlN, with a thickness of less than 1 micron and layers (3) of a second material, such as GaN with a thickness of less than 10 nm; raising the transparency of said non photoluminescent portion (10) with a deposition of transparent material (6) or incorporation of ions into said non photoluminescent portions.

A method for producing a printed material includes forming a color image having an image area ratio of 20% or less on a peripheral edge portion of a recording medium by using a coloring material; providing pressure-induced phase transition particles to a region of the recording medium, the region including the peripheral edge portion; bonding the color image and the pressure-induced phase transition particles onto the recording medium; and folding the recording medium having the color image and the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon and pressure-bonding the folded recording medium, or pressure-bonding the recording medium having the color image and the pressure-induced phase transition particles bonded thereon and another recording medium placed on top of each other. The pressure-induced phase transition particles contain a styrene resin and a (meth)acrylic acid ester resin, the styrene resin contains styrene and a vinyl monomer other than styrene as polymerization components, the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin contains at least two (meth)acrylic acid esters as polymerization components, and a mass ratio of the (meth)acrylic acid esters is 90 mass % or more of a total of all polymerization components of the (meth)acrylic acid ester resin. The pressure-induced phase transition particles have at least two glass transition temperatures, and a difference between the lowest glass transition temperature and the highest glass transition temperature among the glass transition temperatures of the pressure-induced phase transition particles is 30° C. or more.