At Shiv Nadar University in Delhi-NCR, scientists have achieved a major advancement in materials science with the development of a new composite material free from rare earth elements. This innovation holds potential for use in solid-state lighting, AI technologies, and environmental cleanup efforts.
Under the guidance of Professor Aloke Kanjilal and research scholar Bisweswar Santra, this development in composite materials tackles worldwide issues by decreasing dependence on costly foreign rare-earth components and offering a expandable solution for future technological needs.
The significant progress is made with the creation of a phosphor that shows remarkable dual-band photoluminescence, covering the range from visible light to near-infrared wavelengths.
Through optimizing the annealing process, the group has developed an affordable answer for solid-state lighting, thereby boosting India’s autonomy in sophisticated illumination solutions.
Professor Kanjilal highlighted the significance of this advancement, noting, "This operational composite material represents a crucial move toward decreasing dependence on rare-earth elements, thereby facilitating eco-friendly manufacturing of phosphors for solid-state illumination."
The composite likewise provides cutting-edge answers for neuromorphic computing, tackling the drawbacks of conventional von Neumann designs.

The study showcased its potential in creating formless, multi-level resistive switching devices that use extremely low power and show response times as quick as 40 nanoseconds.
These gadgets exhibit exceptional stability across more than 10,000 switch cycles and hold data for over 10,000 seconds, emulating the efficiency of the human brain for artificial intelligence purposes.
In addition to its optical and computational features, this composite material exhibits remarkable photocatalytic abilities, successfully degrading organic contaminants such as methylene blue in water effluent when exposed to ultraviolet light in only 25 minutes.
This environment-conscious approach is vital since India confronts mounting problems of water contamination.
Moreover, the material demonstrates exceptional radiation resistance, keeping its optical characteristics intact when exposed to gamma rays up to 65 kGy, which makes it ideal for harsh conditions like those encountered in space missions and nuclear installations.
As sectors look for eco-friendly options, this pioneering study underscores Shiv Nadar University's dedication to cross-disciplinary progress that has practical applications.
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