Slippery Photoswitchable Fluorescent Coatings for Reconfigurable Information Encryption and Underwater Anti‐Counterfeiting

A flourishing marine economy has promoted the prosperity of underwater anti-counterfeiting, but it still lacks a universal approach to incorporate anti-counterfeiting technologies and slippery coating. Herein, we described the slippery photoswitchable fluorescent coatings (SPFCs) for reconfigurable information encryption and underwater anti-counterfeiting labels. The green fluorescence dyes (ANA) and photochromic spiropyran derivative (ASP), which can form a photo-induced fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) system, were integrated into polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS)-based slippery coating via the Michael addition. Light can trigger a FRET process between ANA and ASP, resulting in the reversible fluorescence switching between green and red. The PDMS coating containing oil can offer excellent anti-fouling properties. Overall, SPFCs exhibited some desirable features, such as high contrast, fast photo-responsibility, photo-reversibility, antifouling property, processability, simple preparation process, and remoldability. These features urged us to apply SPFCs in reconfigurable information encryption and underwater anti-counterfeiting labels.