What is Hematene?

Key findings: 

• Nanoflakes of a material called hematene extracted from iron ore have been found capable of withstanding and acting as shield from high laser intensities.
• Hence it could be used to make devices called optical limiters that can protect sensitive optical equipment from light-induced damage.
• Radiation from laser sources is highly concentrated and powerful and can be detrimental to sensitive equipment such as sensors, detectors, and other optical devices.
• When the input intensity increases optical limiters control the amount of light that passes through, thereby preventing damage to the optical component.
• These devices are often useful in laser technologies, military, telecommunications, aircrafts, and scientific research in several ways.
• They found that 2D nanoflakes of hematene is capable of withstanding very high laser intensities, and they exhibited excellent optical limiting of green laser light (532 nm) while maintaining a high linear transmission (about 87%) for low-intensity light.

Key facts about Hematene:

• It is extracted from naturally occurring hematite, the mineral form of iron(III) oxide, using a combination of sonication, centrifugation and vacuum-assisted filtration.
• It measures 3 atoms thick and has a more efficient photocatalysis.
• It is ferromagnetic (the mechanism by which certain materials like iron form permanent magnets, or are attracted to magnets) like a common magnet.
• It is capable of withstanding and acting as shield from high laser intensities

Q) What is an Ore?

Ore refers to a naturally occurring mineral or rock that contains a valuable substance, usually a metal or valuable mineral, in sufficient amounts to make mining economically feasible. These minerals or metals are typically extracted and processed to obtain the valuable elements they contain.

Source: 2D nanoflakes of material extracted from iron ore can protect sensitive optical equipment from light-induced damage

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