Ministry of Earth Sciences Hosts National Media Interaction on 'Mission Mausam' The Ministry of Earth Sciences (MoES) held a national-level media interaction on the ambitious Mission Mausam at Prithvi Bhavan, New Delhi. The session was led by Dr. M Ravichandran, Secretary of MoES, alongside Dr. Mritunjay Mohapatra, Director General of the India Meteorological Department (IMD), and Dr. V.S. Prasad, Head of the National Centre for Medium-Range Weather Forecasting (NCMRWF). Approved by the Union Cabinet on September 11, 2024, with a budget of ₹2,000 crores over two years, Mission Mausam aims to transform India into a "Weather-Ready" and "Climate-Smart" nation. The mission focuses on advancing the country's weather and climate observation, modeling, and forecasting capabilities, to provide more accurate and timely services. Key Objectives of Mission Mausam: Develop Cutting-Edge Technologies: Introduce next-generation radars, satellites with advanced instr...
A groundbreaking technique for enhancing the performance of MOF-based supercapacitors has emerged through the use of controlled laser irradiation to introduce defects. This innovative method, developed by scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST) in Mohali, represents a significant advancement in energy storage technology.
Traditionally, methods such as thermal annealing, chemical exposure, high-energy ball milling, e-beam, and chemical vapor deposition have been employed to create defects in materials. However, these approaches often lack the precision required to control the extent of defects effectively. The new laser-based technique offers a solution by enabling fine-tuned regulation of defects and porosity in Metal Organic Frameworks (MOFs) without altering their fundamental structure.
Prof. Vivek Bagchi and his team at INST have demonstrated that by carefully adjusting the laser power, they can introduce controlled defects and increase the surface area and activity of the pristine CuZn-BTC MOF. This approach enhances the material’s performance without transforming it into a different substance or creating a composite.
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The key innovation lies in the preservation of the MOF’s crystallinity while enhancing its activity. The laser irradiation selectively ruptures certain bonds in the CuZn-MOF, creating a three-dimensional (3-D) porous network. This network improves ion diffusion pathways, stability, and overall surface area by generating microchannel pathways and integrating nano-sized MOF fragments into the system.
This technique, described in ACS Materials Letters, offers several advantages over traditional methods. It is faster, allowing for precise control of each synthesis step, and it is environmentally friendly, requiring no chemical solvents or additional materials.
The potential applications of this laser-based approach extend beyond MOF-based supercapacitors. It opens up opportunities for further research and technological advancements in energy storage and other fields where MOFs are used. By enhancing the activity of existing MOF technologies, this method could lead to significant improvements in performance and efficiency.
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