University of Michigan researchers developed an iridescent plastic that reveals images with a breath in an effort to prevent counterfeiting.

The test plastic shows the image of Marilyn Monroe when blown upon. Another sheet reveals a word.

These inventions were made to thwart counterfeiters who replicate the holograms in bags and logos in passports.

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The plastic sheet is iridescent because it has light diffraction capacity. There are nanopillars on the surface of the sheet which are 100 times thinner than human hair.

Nanopillars have been used before but because of its fragile nature, they easily broke.

However, the researchers combined the nanopillars with polyurethane and epoxy, resulting in a flexible sheet that is hard-wearing.

The researchers discovered that the sheet could lose its shine when it gets wet. In response, they printed a water-repellant coating on the surface of the sheet.

The coating is in the shape of Marilyn Monroe's face. Upon breathing on the sheet, water condenses on the entire sheet making it transparent except for Marilyn's face.

Researcher Nicholas Kotov said that the images in the sheets are just the beginning.

The project authors still aim to further the study and add several layers of the nanoparticles to make it more unique and difficult to reproduce.

The plastic sheet technology is said to be advantageous in curbing the rate of crimes involving counterfeit materials.

Meanwhile, the man who is tagged as the master counterfeiter in the world, Frank Bourassa, was released in May after handing in several US$20 bills that are almost impeccably imitated.

His fake bills have been circulating all over the U.S. and Canada.

It took over four years for authorities to trace the bills back to Bourassa.

TagsMarilyn Monroe, plastic sheet