Preparation of fluorescent ink using perylene-encapsulated silica nanoparticles toward authentication of documents

•Inorganic/organic ink (1%) was produced for anticounterfeiting applications.•Photostable perylene-doped silica nanoparticles (PSN; 6–33 nm) were prepared.•Fluorescent PSN/resin ink was successfully screen-printed onto paper sheets.•Printed sheets displayed absorption band at 436 nm and emission band at 625 nm.•Reversible photochromism was detected from pale yellow to red under UV light.