Carbon nanoflorets

Source– This post is based on the article “Tiny carbon ‘flowers’ turn light to heat at unrivalled efficiency, IIT team finds” published in “The Hindu” on 30 october 2023

Why in news ?

Recently, researchers at IIT Bombay have created carbon nanoflorets capable of converting sunlight into heat with unmatched efficiency.This innovation holds the potential to revolutionize sustainable heating solutions while minimizing the carbon footprint.

What are carbon nanoflorets?

Carbon nanoflorets are a unique nanostructure composed of carbon atoms arranged in a distinctive floret-like morphology. They have a high surface area and various potential applications in fields such as materials science, electronics, and nanotechnology due to their exceptional properties and structure.

Significance
(1) It can remove up to 90% of pollutants containing arsenic, chromium, cadmium and mercury.
(2) These can absorb light at multiple frequencies like infrared, visible and ultraviolet.
(3) The nanoflorets can generate heat sustainably, without having to burn fossil fuels.
(4) the nanofloret coatings can help heat up housing and sterilise surfaces in hospitals.
(5)A single square meter of carbon nanofloret coating has the remarkable capacity to vaporize 5 liters of water per hour.