What is Hematene?

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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