Indian Scientists Unveil Breakthrough Method for Harvesting Artificial Light Using Organic Nanotube

A group of Indian scientists has made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of artificial light harvesting. Inspired by the natural process of photosynthesis, the researchers from the Indian Institute of Science Education and Research (IISER) Kolkata and the S N Bose National Center for Basic Sciences (SNBNCBS), Kolkata, developed a novel method using organic fluorescent molecule and a therapeutically important biopolymer. These organic nanotubes have a range of potential applications, including solar cells, photo catalysis, optical sensors and tunable multi-color light-emitting materials. Similar to how plants use chlorophyll to convert sunlight into energy, the scientists utilized the organic nanotube to absorb artificial light and transfer the energy to a dye molecule such as Nile Red and Nile Blue. The dye molecule then emits color tuning from initial greenish-yellow to orange-red, including white light.