Stimuli-Responsive Chiral Cellulose Nanocrystals Based Self-Assemblies for Security Measures to Prevent Counterfeiting: A Review

The proliferation of misleading information and counterfeit products in conjunction with technical progress presents substantial worldwide issues. To address the issue of counterfeiting, many tactics, such as the use of luminous anticounterfeiting systems, have been investigated. Nevertheless, traditional fluorescent compounds have a restricted effectiveness. Cellulose nanocrystals (CNCs), known for their renewable nature and outstanding qualities, present an excellent opportunity to develop intelligent, optically active materials formed due to their self-assembly behavior and stimuli response. CNCs and their derivatives-based self-assemblies allow for the creation of adaptable luminous materials that may be used to prevent counterfeiting. These materials integrate the photophysical characteristics of optically active components due to their stimuli-responsive behavior, enabling their use in fibers, labels, films, hydrogels, and inks. Despite substantial attention, existing materials frequently fall short of practical criteria due to limited knowledge and poor performance comparisons. This review aims to provide information on the latest developments in anticounterfeit materials based on stimuli-responsive CNCs and derivatives. It also includes the scope of artificial intelligence (AI) in the near future. It will emphasize the potential uses of these materials and encourage future investigation in this rapidly growing area of study.