#1 Example
<?php
    # --- ENCRYPTION ---

# the key should be random binary, use scrypt, bcrypt or PBKDF2 to
    # convert a string into a key
    # key is specified using hexadecimal
    $key = pack('H*', "bcb04b7e103a0cd8b54763051cef08bc55abe029fdebae5e1d417e2ffb2a00a3");
    
    # show key size use either 16, 24 or 32 byte keys for AES-128, 192
    # and 256 respectively
    $key_size =  strlen($key);
    echo "Key size: " . $key_size . "\n";
    
    $plaintext = "This string was AES-256 / CBC / ZeroBytePadding encrypted.";

# create a random IV to use with CBC encoding
    $iv_size = mcrypt_get_iv_size(MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, MCRYPT_MODE_CBC);
    $iv = mcrypt_create_iv($iv_size, MCRYPT_RAND);
    
    # creates a cipher text compatible with AES (Rijndael block size = 128)
    # to keep the text confidential 
    # only suitable for encoded input that never ends with value 00h
    # (because of default zero padding)
    $ciphertext = mcrypt_encrypt(MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, $key,
                                 $plaintext, MCRYPT_MODE_CBC, $iv);

# prepend the IV for it to be available for decryption
    $ciphertext = $iv . $ciphertext;
    
    # encode the resulting cipher text so it can be represented by a string
    $ciphertext_base64 = base64_encode($ciphertext);

echo  $ciphertext_base64 . "\n";

# === WARNING ===

# Resulting cipher text has no integrity or authenticity added
    # and is not protected against padding oracle attacks.
    
    # --- DECRYPTION ---
    
    $ciphertext_dec = base64_decode($ciphertext_base64);
    
    # retrieves the IV, iv_size should be created using mcrypt_get_iv_size()
    $iv_dec = substr($ciphertext_dec, 0, $iv_size);
    
    # retrieves the cipher text (everything except the $iv_size in the front)
    $ciphertext_dec = substr($ciphertext_dec, $iv_size);

# may remove 00h valued characters from end of plain text
    $plaintext_dec = mcrypt_decrypt(MCRYPT_RIJNDAEL_128, $key,
                                    $ciphertext_dec, MCRYPT_MODE_CBC, $iv_dec);
    
    echo  $plaintext_dec . "\n";
?>

Code

Result

PHP code example: mcrypt_encrypt

Encrypts plaintext with given parameters. See documentation.

You can try this function yourself. Just edit the code and on "Run" to see the result.