Daily News Analysis

Chemistry Nobel Prize 2023

stylish_lining

Chemistry Nobel Prize 2023

 

 

Why in the News?

The 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry has been awarded to Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots” and have been lauded as pioneers in the exploration of the nanoworld.

Work of the Awardees:

  1. In 1980s, Louis Brus and Alexei Ekimov succeeded independently creating quantum dots, which are nanoparticles so tiny that quantum effects determine their characteristics.
  2. In 1993, laureate Moungi Bawendi revolutionised the methods for manufacturing quantum dots, making their quality extremely high – a vital prerequisite for their use in today’s nanotechnology.

Quantum dots:

  1. Usually, every element exhibits specific properties which will be same regardless of its size. This form one of the fundamental facts of chemistry.
  • For instance, a piece of pure gold, whether it is a large 100-gram piece or a small 10 milligram one, has exactly the same properties.
  1. However, very small particles, in the nanoscale range (1 to 100 billionth of a metre) behave slightly differently from larger particles of the same element. 
  2. Alexei Ekimov was the first to notice this deviant behaviour in Copper Chloride nanoparticles around 1980, and manufacture these nanoparticles to show this change in behaviour.
  3. Louis Brus, an American scientist working independently, discovered similar behaviour in Cadmium Sulphide nanoparticles.
  4. The deviant behaviour of small nanoparticles arises because of the emergence of quantum effects.
  5. The quantum theory explains that, usually, electrons move around in a large empty space, relatively, outside the nucleus of the atom but when the size of the particles is reduced drastically, electrons in the atoms find themselves increasingly squeezed giving rise to the strange quantum effects.
  6. Such strange effects and special properties were found in nanoparticles and hence were called quantum dots.

The discoveries:

  1. When nanoparticles interact with light, the colour of any material depends on the wavelengths of the light spectrum absorbed or reflected by the material.
  2. This led to the conclusion that number of electrons, the properties of the material were also being dictated by its size.

 

 

 

 

Applications:

 

 

In future, quantum dots can contribute to flexible electronics, miniscule sensors, slimmer solar cells and perhaps encrypted quantum communication.

Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT)

The Atal Mission for Rejuvenation and Urban Transformation (AMRUT), launched by the Ministry of Housing and Urban Affairs, completed a decade in 2025. Over this period, AMRUT has aimed to improve
Share It

India's Indigenous 5th-Generation Fighter Jet

India's defense sector has received a major boost with the approval of the execution model for the Advanced Medium Combat Aircraft (AMCA), a project aimed at producing India’s own 5th-ge
Share It

Agroforestry

The Indian Government has recently issued Model Rules 2025 aimed at promoting agroforestry and regulating the felling of trees on agricultural land. These rules are designed to facilitate the deve
Share It

Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance's Recommendations: ESG Oversight Body

The Parliamentary Standing Committee on Finance has proposed the creation of a dedicated Environmental, Social, and Governance (ESG) oversight body within the Ministry of Corporate Affairs (MCA).
Share It

Quick Commerce

According to a report by consulting firm Kearney, India’s quick commerce sector is set to witness significant growth, but it's also creating shifts in consumer behavior. What is Quick
Share It

Asset Monetization Strategy

The National Highway Authority of India (NHAI) has outlined a structured framework to monetize public assets and increase public-private participation (PPP) for the development of road infrastruct
Share It

India's Groundwater Contamination Crisis

India's groundwater is facing significant contamination issues, with over 600 million Indians depending on it daily. The 2024 Annual Groundwater Quality Report from the Central Ground Water Bo
Share It

India’s Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) Trends

India's net Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) inflows witnessed a dramatic fall of 96% in FY25 compared to FY24, as per the RBI Bulletin (June 2025). This sharp decline in net FDI, despite a ris
Share It

Judicial Pendency Crisis in India

India's judiciary is grappling with an overwhelming backlog of over 5 crore cases, which has severely impacted the justice delivery system. This backlog spans across the Supreme Court, High Co
Share It

India’s Deep-Tech Drive

India stands at a strategic crossroads where technology is no longer just an enabler of development but a core instrument of national power. In his recent Independence Day address, the Prime Minis
Share It

Newsletter Subscription


ACQ IAS
ACQ IAS