United States. Researchers in China are working on developing a smart ink to print a multicolored watermark that can only be visible under ultraviolet (UV) light.
Scientists Chenfeng Ke and Xisen Hou, who are running the development at Northwestern University in the United States, explained that the watermark is derived from a special formula that is almost impossible to reverse, making it difficult for counterfeiters to copy products.
The ink, which cannot be seen with the naked eye, when put under ultraviolet light glows on any target, from a barcode to a paint of the product itself.
This discovery came accidentally, according to the researchers, as they initially sought to create a chemical to be used in an exhibitor. After an experiment, they expected to find a green, but found an orange, which led to the discovery of the variable formula.
