Q&T’s POLYSECURE® SHIELD Embeds OVDs into Polymer Substrate

In the ever-evolving world of high-security printing, Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer, located in Hanoi, Vietnam, has emerged as an innovative new player in banknote polymer substrate technology. The company’s latest innovation, POLYSECURE® SHIELD, was unveiled at the recent Currency Conference, held from 26-29 May in Bangkok, Thailand.

This latest technological product advancement, according to Q&T, is the world’s first polymer banknote substrate that incorporates an embedded optical variable feature (OVD).

What is POLYSECURE SHIELD?

POLYSECURE SHIELD is an advanced multilayer polymer security banknote substrate that builds on the Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer’s POLYSECURE banknote substrate. This new substrate is designed to enhance the longevity and security of banknotes by embedding

the OVD within the polymer substrate structure.

Embedded OVD flexibility

The type of OVD that can be embedded within POLYSECURE SHIELD can be either:

• Applied via hot stamping a foil onto one of the polymer laminate materials prior to coating a durable water-clear adhesive for the full lamination process, or

• UV-cast and cured onto one of the polymer laminates prior to further processing and coating a durable water-clear adhesive for the full lamination process.

The inclusion of both hot-stamped OVD foils and UV-cast and cured OVDs ensures that Q&T can offer complete flexibility of OVD technologies and feature types for POLYSECURE SHIELD. This enables the company to provide customers with the latest OVD technologies and benefit from the enhanced durability that POLYSECURE SHIELD provides.

UV cast and cure embossing or simply UV casting uses a UV-curable coating on a polymer film, which is exposed to UV light to fix the microstructure pattern from either a shim or seamless cylinder pattern whilst in contact with the shim / cylinder (in-situ) or immediately afterwards. In this process, the UV-curable coating is in liquid form at the cylinder and flows completely into the microstructure pattern of the shim or seamless cylinder, creating a nearperfect copy of the micro-structure pattern of the shim or seamless cylinder pattern.

A durable solution – POLYSECURE SHIELD

Up until now, typical polymer banknote substrates have incorporated surfaceapplied OVD features which exposes the OVD to:

• Abrasion from handling, such as scratches,

• Mechanical stress from bending, crumpling, and

• Exposure to chemical and environmental contaminants.

These factors can lead to a shorter lifetime of the OVD and the withdrawal and destruction of the banknote from circulation despite the polymer substrate continuing

to be fit for further circulation. This, in turn, leads to increased costs for the central bank to issue replacement banknotes.

Q&T Hi-Tech’s solution to this problem is innovative in its simplicity: it embeds the OVD within the polymer laminate structure. This fully integrates and protects the

OVD, thereby preventing degradation and enhancing the durability and longevity of

the banknote.

POLYSECURE SHIELD also complies with all durability tests and polymer specifications and seamlessly integrates with all security print equipment for further processing.

Additional functional features

POLYSECURE SHIELD also incorporates an in-house developed white opacifying ink that provides vivid colours due to enhanced whiteness and contrasting hues and also reduced see-through due to the enhanced opacity.

In addition to the incorporation of embedded OVDs, Q&T states that POLYSECURE SHIELD can also incorporate the following:

• Magnetically printed stripes for enhanced authentication

• Iridescent printed features that change reflective colour when the banknote is tilted

• Secureshade – a watermark type feature which is revealed when the banknote is viewed in transmission or held up to the light

• Securegravure – a securely printed polymer window feature that is visible from both sides of the banknote and provides overt authentication

• Laser Optical Features (LOF) – a covert, advanced polymer window security feature that produces customised, highly secure diffraction patterns that are only revealed when using a point light source, such as from a smartphone torchlight.

Key benefits

POLYSECURE SHIELD key features include enhanced durability, protecting banknotes and OVD features under extreme conditions for extended legibility. It also provides advanced security through anticounterfeiting features and design flexibility, allowing OVDs (hot-stamped or UV cast and cured) to be placed anywhere within the banknote design and overprinted.

According to Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer, it prioritises sustainability, ensuring all products meet global standards, and the shield is compatible with existing banknote printing technologies, offering flexibility for central banks and financial institutions.

Driving innovation

In a short period, Q&T Hi-Tech Polymer has won several banknote polymer substrate contracts while continuing to innovate at a rapid pace. Concurrently with the launch,

the company has recently signed its fourth contract this year with Vietnam’s state

printer, the National Banknote Printing Plant (NBPP), underscoring its position

as a reliable and trusted supplier in the security substrate sector.

With POLYSECURE SHIELD now part of its expanding product portfolio, Q&T believes

it is poised to compete on the international stage as a key player.