About
The Center of Excellence in Nanotechnology (CoEN) at AIT is an institute wide interdisciplinary research center supporting innovative research, education and training to increase public and industrial awareness of nanotechnology in the region. The unifying concept in the center’s research activities is to make use of inexpensive techniques to synthesize nanomaterials and innovate technologies and futuristic device components. Over the past few years, the center has worked extensively with many industries and research organizations on engineered nanomaterials developing technological solutions for innovative business ideas.
Vision and Mission
Our mission is to develop nanotechnology professionals and applications through research, capacity building and knowledge dissemination for the region’s sustainable development and its integration into the global economy.
Focus Areas
Research at CoEN is a multidisciplinary program, where we use nanotechnology as a tool to innovate. If you have passion and interest in science and technology, whether as a student or as an industrialist looking for technological solutions to your problem, then CoEN is the right place to join.
Key Research Areas:
- Energy harvesting nanomaterials and devices
- Photoreforming of organics
- Sensing and detection
- Nanostructured surfaces & coatings
- Thin film optoelectronic devices
- Water/Air purification
- Functional Materials
- Biomimicry & Biosensors
- Nanocomposites materials for industrial applications
Expertise
CoEN has acquired synthesis experience of diverse types of nanomaterials, mostly using environmental and industry-friendly techniques. We regularly synthesize nanoparticles, nanowires, and thin films of metals, metal oxides, insulators and nanoparticle embedded polymer materials etc. Over the past few years, the center has worked extensively with many industries and research organizations on engineered nanomaterials for various applications.
Nanomaterials
- Metal nanoparticles
- Binary inorganic nanoparticles
- Ternary inorganic nanoparticles
- Nanocomposites
- Nano-biomaterials
Processes
- Hydrothermal growth
- Dip coating methods
- Electroplating
- Spark deposition
- Spin coating
- Spray coating
- 3D printing
Applications
- Energy harvesters
- Solar cells
- Photocatalysis
- Water purification
- Self-cleaning surfaces
- Wear resistant coatings
- Anticorrosion
- Antibiofouling
- Antireflective coatings
- Chemical & Biological sensors
- Hard and lightweight nanocomposite materials
- Opto-electronic devices for sensing
- SERS surfaces
- Self-healing surfaces
Services Offered
- Innovative nanotechnology-based products
- Environmental & industry-friendly technologies
- Technology/Product development & business opportunities
- Scholarship/Internship opportunities
- Capacity building – Short courses & Trainings
- Consultancy services
Leadership
Featured Projects
Circular System Innovation for Polyurethane Foam: Catalytic approach to upcycle foam waste from mattresses and beyond
The goals of this AIT-led project are the development of an eco-friendly and economically viable technology, as well as the exchange of knowledge required to address the reusability of polyurethane (PU) foam waste, which would otherwise end up in landfills due to a lack of efficient recycling technology. The partnership between the Asian Institute of Technology (AIT), Thailand; Circularity Co. Ltd., a world’s first circular economy-based mattress subscription business start-up in Thailand; and the University of Cambridge, UK, aims for a hybrid PU foam upcycling technology based on Nanotechnology to revolutionize the PU waste recycling process and explore the circular economy business innovation opportunities for the Thai context. The project is supported by the UK Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) through the Engineering X Transforming Systems through Partnership program; the National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand; and Circularity Co. Ltd., Thailand.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tanujjal Bora
Partner Organization:
- Institute for Manufacturing, University of Cambridge, UK
- Circularity Co. Ltd., Thailand
Relevant Donors:
- The UK’s Royal Academy of Engineering (RAE) through the Engineering X Transforming Systems through Partnership program
- The National Science and Technology Development Agency (NSTDA), Thailand
- Circularity Co. Ltd., Thailand
For more details, Link
Nanostructured Anti-reflective Coatings for Solar Panels
Solar energy is one of the most powerful renewable energy sources available to humanity. To harvest the solar energy, solar panels are used, where anti-reflective coatings (ARCs) are an essential component to minimize the optical losses. However, most of the ARCs are complex to design, costly, and degrades with time leading to reduction in the performance of the panels and increased maintenance costs. This project aims to develop an innovative nanostructured ARC for commercial solar panels to improve their performance by reducing optical losses, and to ensure an affordable and clean energy production by reducing the maintenance costs and energy pollution respectively. The goal is to identify an eco-friendly technological solution for the deposition of green and robust ARCs on solar panels and demonstrate an economically viable product for future sustainable business development in the solar energy sector. The project is funded by Neon Infotech SEA Co. Ltd., Thailand.
Principal Investigator: Dr. Tanujjal Bora
Relevant Donors: Neon Infotech CO. Ltd., Thailand
For more details, Link
Novel bio-material catalysts prepared via mild & green conditions
The project objectives are:
- Explore improved and easy methods to immobilize biological entities such as enzymes and nucleic acids on supported hybrid porous materials derived from metal ions and organic molecules
- Develop a green approach for the synthesis of the biomaterial, at room temperature, in aqueous environment
- Exploit direct mineral sources for metal ions, instead of the commercial salts resulting from energetically-demanding and chemically-intensive processing of mineral ores
- Test the produced biomaterials as highly selective and reusable catalysts, or at room temperature long-term storage of delicate biomolecules
Principal Investigator: Dr. Raffaele Ricco
Relevant Donors: Asian Institute of Technology Research Initiation Grant
For more details, Link
