ANTICOUNTERFEITING | TECHNOLOGY
Taggants beat the fakers
Markers and taggants embedded into plastic compounds can serve to identify counterfeit products and to provide critical material traceability. Jennifer
Markarian finds out more
The use of microscopic taggants and tracers in plastic compounds or masterbatches has, for quite some time, been used to provide a secure, covert method for verifying the authenticity of plastic parts and products. The additives often form part of a multi-layer defence against counterfeiting, which can also include the use of visible identifiers (including laser marking) or covert markings on parts, pack- ages, or labels. This combination of overt and covert marks can be used to verify that a part is authentic or by manufacturers that need to know that a part is their own, such as when dealing with product-failure claims. More recently, however, product verification has been applied to recycled plastics, where it can prove the veracity of recycled-content claims. US-based Stardust Secured offers multiple types
of tracers that can be embedded into polymers or fibres. The company, which was founded in 1998 and operates under the “Stardust Secured” trade- mark, employs a range of tracer technologies that are chemically inert and can be checked at any point in the supply chain with a hand-held device, according to Adam Herbenson, Vice President of Sales and Marketing at the company. “Our tracers are detectable optically and forensi-
cally, some working covertly in the infrared part of the light spectrum, while others function in the UV and visible spectrums. Clients often combine multiple tracers and security features that we manufacture to create a layered security solution,” he says.
www.compoundingworld.com Herbenson says the Covid-19 pandemic led to a
surge in demand for tracer solutions in polymers because both commercial and government entities, being vigilant about safety, wanted to verify antimicrobial protection. “Also, during this time, prices increased due to inflation, while goods became scarcer—a prime motivator for counterfeit activities, with efforts to dilute and substitute components as well as to skirt around certifications, standards, and legislation.” The company reports that demand continues
today. “The reasons to incorporate a physical tracer in polymer has never been greater, as anti-counter- feiting and traditional brand protection has evolved well beyond merely protecting a label. The value of physical traceability now includes establishing provenance bona fides (where the product and its components originate), content verification and anti-dilution protection, brand promotion via compelling sustainability stories, and added internal supply chain visibility for individual stakeholders in the value chain for those who require it,” says Herbenson. With regard to supply chain traceability for mechanically recycled polymers, he suggests that legislation and regulations will be needed for widespread adoption of tracing technology in the industry at large, but adds that the discussion is just beginning. “Looming legislation and increased discussions around climate impact, carbon foot-
Main image: Tracer master- batches from companies such as Grafe can be used with simple handheld detectors to provide immediate confirmation of authenticity, protecting profit and consumers
December 2023 | COMPOUNDING WORLD 29
IMAGE: GRAFE
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