Scientists have discovered a cleaner, more eco-friendly way to make the tiny materials that power our electronic devices.
These materials, called semiconductors, are essential for things like smartphones, laptops, and TV screens.
But the usual methods of making them use harmful chemicals and require high temperatures and pressure, which can damage the environment and cost a lot of energy and money.
Now, researchers at Virginia Commonwealth University (VCU) and Princeton University have developed a new way to produce semiconductors using water and specially designed proteins, all at room temperature.
This method is not only better for the planet but could also make production cheaper and safer in the future.
The breakthrough was led by Dr. Leah Spangler, a chemical engineering professor at VCU, and Dr. Michael Hecht, a chemistry professor at Princeton.
Their work focuses on creating semiconductor materials called quantum dots—tiny particles that can glow in different colors and are used in everything from medical imaging to next-generation TVs.
What’s exciting about this new method is the use of de novo proteins.
These are proteins that don’t exist in nature but are made by scientists for specific tasks. In this case, the proteins were designed to guide the formation of quantum dots in water, without the need for toxic chemicals or high heat.
The idea comes from how some natural proteins in living organisms can form materials, such as shells or bones—a process known as biomineralization. However, this is the first time researchers have shown that custom-designed proteins can be used to make high-tech materials like quantum dots.
Dr. Spangler explains that this research shows how protein design can give scientists a powerful new tool to control the properties of materials. That means we might one day be able to fine-tune the way electronics are made by adjusting the proteins that help build them.
The findings were published in ACS Central Science, a respected scientific journal.
While this is just the beginning, the research opens up exciting new possibilities for developing cleaner, safer materials for electronics in the future.
With continued exploration, this method could help reduce the environmental impact of technology while improving the way we build the devices we use every day.
