Harnessing Chiral Light for Sustainable Production of Advanced Materials

Imagine crafting powerful materials for next-generation electronics and clean energy technologies, all while minimising environmental impact. This research project proposes a groundbreaking method to achieve this by harnessing the power of light instead of polluting chemicals.
Traditionally, creating materials with a specific "handedness" called chirality is crucial for various applications, including medicine and efficient electronics. However, current methods to manufacture these chiral materials rely on harsh chemicals and significantly contribute to CO2 emissions. This project tackles this challenge head-on by proposing a novel light-driven approach that aligns perfectly with the growing trend towards sustainable manufacturing practices. It directly addresses UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) for clean energy (SDG 7), responsible consumption and production (SDG 12), and climate action (SDG 13).
The core concept involves directly inducing chirality within flexible two-dimensional (2D) materials like graphene and perovskites using light. These materials hold immense potential for future technologies, but traditional chemical manufacturing methods often limit their ability to achieve chirality. The proposed method leverages the transfer of angular momenta from light beams to impart a sense of twist to the highly flexible 2D materials This eliminates the need for energy-intensive chemical processes and opens the door for a wider range of materials to be rendered chiral. Furthermore, by harnessing green electricity to power light energy efficient light sources, this approach significantly reduces the environmental footprint associated with material production.
To further enhance the efficiency of light-induced chirality induction, the project explores the strategic utilisation of nanostructures. These microscopic structures act like light cavities, concentrating the incident light and amplifying the optical forces within sub-wavelength dimensions. This focused...