Revolutionary method for detecting nanoplastics discovered!

Revolutionary method for detecting nanoplastics discovered!

The University of Stuttgart has developed a new process that could revolutionize the detection of nanoplastic particles. This innovative “optical sieve” uses resonance effects in small holes to make the presence of these microplastic particles visible. How uni-stuttgart.de reported, the process is based on tiny depressions, the so-called Mie Voids, which are created in a semiconductor.

The interaction of incoming light with these holes is a crucial part of the technology. This interaction is closely related to the diameter and depth of the wells and leads to a characteristic color effect that is clearly visible under an optical microscope. Doctoral student Dominik Ludescher, who is the first author of the publication in “Nature Photonics”, explains that the color change becomes unmistakable as soon as a particle enters one of the wells.

Technical details and manufacturing

To create the tiny depressions, Mario Hentschel and his colleagues from the University of Stuttgart and the Australian National University used innovative techniques such as ion beam cutting. This method allows the precise fabrication of arrays of tiny, circular cavities in a silicon wafer. The cavities have diameters and depths of only a few hundred nanometers and, according to the results in nature.com, the Mie resonances that are crucial for the scattering of visible light.

Interestingly, the geometry of the cavities and their volume determine both the scattering efficiency and the color saturation required for the correct identification of nanoplastics. Hentschel explains that the combination of these properties enables extremely precise color detection.

Current research results and applications

In addition to the developments at the University of Stuttgart, current studies support the practical application of the technology. In another study, Si/SiO2 nanoresonator arrays were fabricated, which could significantly contribute to improved light detection and emission in materials. These nano-structured components consist of cylindrical columns arranged as tightly packed heptamers, like nature.com reported. A notable aspect of this research is the observed blue shift of about 10 meV of the resonances after transferring MoSe2 monolayers to the nanoresonators.

In summary, it can be seen that the optical sieve from Stuttgart not only represents an advance in environmental detection, but also offers fundamental insights for the development of new half-ledger systems that are important for light detection and emission. Using technology to monitor nanoplastics in the environment could play a crucial role in the near future.