By Kiran Jayasinghe
Monali Moiraganthem and Albertus Schenning from Eindhoven University of Technology created a new blue polymer film (a material that is made of long molecular chains). Their film swells when it contacts water, exposing other chemicals or details in it. Using this information, the two scientists used calcium nitrate dissolved in water to create an ink. They printed this ink onto their polymer in a design they would recognize. Then, when they added water to their film, it swelled and showed the chemical lines – in the design printed!
Moiraganthem and Schenning were able to create simple designs and artwork on their film, using a sequence of ink. One layer would show up orange on the film, two layers would become green, and three would become blue, and so on. When water touched the film, these colors showed up and unmasked the hidden message printed on the polymer.
Schenning has many ideas for the film. The polymer could be used to camouflage items, once pre-printed. Tags for items or clothing could be exposed to moisture to show a secret design, so that thieves or crooks could not create fake tags! A more interesting idea would be to have cars that turn color in the rain…
Monali’s and Albertus’ new material would be useful and fun to experiment! The polymer film could hide secret codes on clothing, or reveal a miniature picture for a child. Whatever it will be used for, this new material is definitely interesting – all you have to do is add water!
Learn more at www.sciencenewsforstudents.org!