Specific Objective 1

Development of unclonable labels made from biodegradable polymers of natural origin, exploiting laser-generated speckle patterns—including in fluorescence—as an anti-counterfeiting mechanism, effectively creating a Physically Unclonable Function (PUF).
The polymer matrices will be derived from vegetable or animal waste:

• Chitosan from shellfish waste (e.g., shrimp and crab shells)
• Cellulose from textile waste, especially broom plant (ginestra)

These biopolymers form the basis of STILE’s circular bio-economy approach, converting industrial waste into advanced technological products.

Specific Objective 2

Development of a new concept of Made-in-Italy accessories based on structural colors achieved through plasmonics. The method involves depositing a nanostructured ultra-thin coating on metallic surfaces (jewelry, watch dials, etc.).
Unlike traditional pigments, these coatings create “nano-islands” rather than a continuous film, producing unique optical effects: brilliant, iridescent, unclonable colors.

Research Work Packages

• WP1 – Biodegradable material production: Valorization of production waste, extraction of natural polymers, and material characterization.
• WP2 – Biodegradable fluorescent anti-counterfeiting labels: Fabrication of unclonable biodegradable labels using fluorescent speckle patterns and electro-fluoro-active materials. Assessment of technology transfer potential.
• WP3 – “Non-clonable plasmonic” accessories: Implementation of the “material is color” paradigm and validation of a plasmonic PUF. Definition of application domains in the sales market.
• WP4 – Proof-of-Concept: Creation of a plasmonic watch dial prototype, representing a tangible example of a Made-in-Italy anti-counterfeiting accessory.