Rimple Bhatia

Overt security features through digital printing

Digital printing technology represents a counterfeiting threat and a counterfeiting deterrence opportunity. Digital reproduction methods have been used to produce holographic and printed features similar to those on banknotes. As digital technology continues to improve, the quality of those features will become nearly indistinguishable from intaglio printing, offset printing and holograms. Optically active devices and inks have been useful to slow counterfeiters, but security document and feature designers need more tools. The toolbox for digital technologies is very large and being exploited by the counterfeiters, but their toolbox has been limited to commercially available digital technologies. Security designers also need to take advantage of this toolbox with the additional lever of secure materials. By leveraging digital technologies with secure materials, variable information and integration with other security features, security document designers can create new, attractive features that are hard to replicate. The high level of difficulty to create security materials in the sub-micron to nanometer size range with multiple functionalities is one barrier. Creating inks that are formulated to fit the stringent requirements for custom digital printing methods creates another barrier to unauthorized reproduction. All of the other valuable aspects of digital technology are therefore accessible only to those with access to these secure materials. Leveraging these digital materials to make optical effects make them useful for the end-user authentication. Furthermore, use of digital technologies allows the incorporation of variable data that can be authenticated visually or using proprietary algorithms and detection / sorting equipment.

Direct-Write Materials and Layers for Electrochemical Power Devices

This chapter explains the needs and attributes of direct-write electrochemical power devices. An electrochemical power device is defined as a device that stores or produces electrical energy. This includes batteries, fuel cells, supercapacitors, and capacitors. The chapter emphasizes on batteries and fuel cells and description of the key features of electrochemical power devices that can be improved through direct-write deposition technologies. In electrochemical power devices, direct-write technologies provide various combinations of attributes including conformality, complex patterns, fine features, digital deposition, rapid prototyping, and control over large thickness and structure. Batteries are used to power portable electronic devices while non portable devices are powered by connection to the electrical grid with electrical power supplied by power stations. With the onset of electrical power deregulation and the increasing demand for high-reliability electrical power, fuel cells are gaining momentum as potential sources for distributed power generation from devices as small as cell phones to as large as ships.