Three-in-One Coupled Shape Memory, Self-healing, and Photochromic System in Dynamic Covalent Polyurethane Network for Sequential 4D Encryption
摘要
Information leakage and forgery continue to threaten the security of the information storage and transmission. However, most existing physical encryption materials rely on single and predictable stimulus-response mechanisms, resulting in limited security, programmability, and service life. Herein, a high-security sequential 4D encryption system is developed based on a dynamic covalent polyurethane network that integrates shape memory, self-healing, and photochromism in one system. Arylboronic acid was incorporated into the polyurethane framework to form a dynamic boron carbamate network. The resulting boroxine crosslinks act as reversible junctions, enabling thermally triggered shape memory behavior, while simultaneously providing efficient self-healing through reversible hydrolysis and reformation. The optimized polyurethane exhibited a tensile strength of about 35 MPa, a shape-fixity ratio of >99%, and a shape-recovery ratio of up to 83% while achieving a self-healing efficiency of about 81% after thermal treatment. In parallel, the incorporation of a photochromic dye enables precise time-dependent color evolution under ultraviolet irradiation. The synergistic coupling of thermal and photonic responses allows sequential and time-gated information decoding, significantly increasing the encryption complexity and resistance to unauthorized access. The resulting films function as dynamic 4D encryption carriers from which correct information can be retrieved only through a predefined sequence of shape recovery and color transformation. This study provides a versatile strategy for next-generation physical encryption materials with intrinsic damage tolerance, long-term reliability, and storage potential in optical data storage and advanced anti-counterfeiting applications.