Decentralized consensus on the state of the Bitcoin blockchain is ensured by proof of work (PoW).  The ChemCrypt project aims to develop a physical one-way function with the goal of transforming a digital, electricity-consuming consensus mechanism into a physical process. As an approach, a specific setup based on printing and optical analysis of pigment-carrier composites is investigated.

• M. Winkler, C. Peither, S. Petrick, L. Seidemann, H. Jelich, F. Kleine Jäger, J. Müller-Quade, A. Colsmann, H. Nirschl, F. Rhein, (2025): Physical One‐Way Functions for Decentralized Consensus Via Proof of Physical Work. – Advanced Science, 12 (5), art. no. 2409386: 1–14.