Sustainable Quantum Tech: Crafting High-Tech Carbon from Everyday Waste
Repurposing Hair and Waste for High-Tech Carbon: Quantum Dot Manufacturing from Common Resources
Revamping quantum technology to go green is a groundbreaking idea, and an Australian researcher has the key: carbon, sourced from waste biomass, wastewater, or even your locks. That's right, just like your everyday hair!
Professor Qin Li, a chemical engineer at Griffith University, is leading the charge. She believes her research has the potential to revolutionize our quantum technology by making it more efficient and eco-friendly.
"People often think quantum is a bit far-fetched," Li said at the 2024 Australian Conference on Green & Sustainable Chemistry & Engineering. "But I'm here to tell you that it's not. Quantum effects are not as far away from us as we think."
One of Li's focuses is on quantum dots—tiny particles that can emit light in incredibly precise ways, with the potential to transform a variety of sectors, including medical imaging and solar power. In fact, quantum dots won the 2023 Nobel Prize in Chemistry.
Li first dabbled in quantum dots in the late 2000s, accidentally creating them from carbon while attempting to synthesize another material—photonic crystals.
"Our experiments didn't turn out as we wanted," said Li. "We ended up with a carbon film that formed its own tiny particles."
After discovering research on carbon dots by Professor Ya-Ping Sun from Clemson University, Li hypothesized that these might be the carbon nanodots they had created. Lab tests confirmed it.
The carbon dots Li and her team created were more beneficial to the body and more resilient than other carbon dots researchers had developed. They were also surprisingly stable in water, making them ideal for medical research, and potentially for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment.
Encouraged by these findings, Li shifted her focus from drug development to environmental monitoring. She wondered if it was possible to make quantum dots from waste biomass instead of synthetic chemicals.
"I had my doubts," said Li, "but a collaborator and I decided to give it a shot."
With a PhD student on board, Li successfully made quantum dots from human hair—leading to some stunning results. They created the brightest blue emitting OLED (organic light-emitting diode) ever, with a low voltage of just 4.2 volts to activate it.
What's more, one of the hair-derived carbon dots turned out to be highly sensitive to chloroform, making it an excellent water detector. It could spot chloroform in wastewater at concentrations as low as 3 parts per billion, and the team is now working on turning the dots into a sensor.
Li and her team have also experimented with using seaweed, sugarcane waste, and wastewater sludge to make quantum dots. While some methods, like microwaving, left a lingering stench, the team has found exciting possibilities in these diverse materials.
However, there are challenges to overcome, such as ensuring the purity and consistency of waste-derived materials and scaling up production while maintaining sustainability. Nonetheless, Li is optimistic that they can create a circular economy for quantum materials, transforming waste into high-grade, functional components.
The future of quantum technology is looking greener than ever thanks to researchers like Professor Qin Li, who are paving the way toward a more sustainable high-tech world—all with a bit of everyday waste.
- The potential applications of quantum dots, which Li believes could be sourced from waste biomass, extend to health-and-wellness as they might be used for targeted drug delivery in cancer treatment.
- In the realm of food-and-drink, one of the hair-derived carbon dots created by Li's team proved highly sensitive to chloroform, making it a promising candidate for a water detector.
- Li's research also explores sustainable-living by experimenting with various waste materials like seaweed, sugarcane waste, and wastewater sludge to create quantum dots, possibly revolutionizing the production process.
- A significant challenge in this field is ensuring the purity and consistency of waste-derived materials while scaling up production in a way that maintains its eco-friendly nature, essential for creating a circular economy for quantum materials.
- Li's innovative work in using carbon from everyday waste to revolutionize quantum technology has profound implications for future lifestyles, bridging the gap between home-and-garden waste and cutting-edge high-tech components.
