Highlights:
Body:
Researchers develop a single-step technique for high-performance, uniformly coated microfibres — opening new possibilities in clean water, healthcare, and environmental protection.
In a major step forward for sustainable water purification, researchers at the Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (IIT Bombay) have developed an innovative, single-step method to produce high-performance nanoparticle-coated microfibres. This new technique promises to revolutionize not only household water filtration but also fields as diverse as medical dressing, food packaging, and pollution control.
The research, jointly led by Prof. Venkat Gundabala and Prof. Rajdip Bandyopadhyaya from IIT Bombay’s Department of Chemical Engineering, employs a microfluidic approach to coat microfibres with nanoparticles while they are being formed — ensuring a uniform coating, higher performance, and greater efficiency compared to existing methods.
Traditionally, microfibres are coated by dipping pre-formed threads into a nanoparticle dispersion. This process, however, is tedious, requires bulky equipment, and often results in uneven nanoparticle distribution — with clumps forming in some areas while others remain bare. The result is a lower-quality product, where gaps in the coating allow sediments and contaminants to pass through, reducing the overall filtration efficiency.
The new IIT Bombay process eliminates these inefficiencies through a precise microfluidic design. Here, a polymer solution flows through a fine glass capillary while a nanoparticle dispersion surrounds it. As the solvent diffuses out, the polymer solidifies into a fibre — and nanoparticles naturally and uniformly adhere to its surface.
Proven Performance in Water Purification
To demonstrate the method, the researchers synthesized and used magnesium oxide (MgO) nanoparticles, which bond strongly with the polymer. When tested, these MgO-coated fibres showed excellent performance in removing toxic heavy metals such as lead, cadmium, and arsenic from water — all of which pose significant health risks even at trace levels.
According to the researchers, these nanoparticle-coated fibres can be packed into compact filter cartridges, making them ideal for household, portable, or modular water purification units. Their durability and high retention capacity make them a practical and sustainable alternative to conventional filters.
A Multidisciplinary Innovation
The potential of this technology extends far beyond water purification. By changing the type of nanoparticle used, these microfibres can be customized for a range of advanced applications:
This development underscores IIT Bombay’s leadership in cutting-edge materials research and environmental innovation. By merging nanotechnology, polymer science, and microfluidics, the team has opened doors to scalable, energy-efficient, and multifunctional materials that can address some of the world’s most pressing challenges — from clean water access to medical and environmental sustainability.
As Prof. Gundabala and Prof. Bandyopadhyaya’s work shows, the future of filtration and purification may lie not in bulky machines, but in microscopic engineering at the fibre level — where every strand is a powerhouse of scientific precision.
Source: IIT Bombay
Image source: Unsplash
By – Dr Nivash Jeevananadam — formerly a Senior Researcher and Author at the IndiaAI Portal (the National AI Portal of India, a joint initiative by NASSCOM and MeitY, Government of India) — has served as an Advisory Member for AI Initiatives at CEMCA, New Delhi. He is associated with the Department of Computer Science and Engineering, Kingston Engineering College, Vellore, Tamil Nadu. With over a decade of research writing experience and a Ph.D. in Information Technology and Computer Science, he blends scientific insight with storytelling, making him one of the leading voices in India’s AI ecosystem.