Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023

The Nobel Prize in Chemistry is awarded by the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences every year to individuals who have achieved something extraordinary in the field. This year, the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023 has been given to three individuals, Moungi G. Bawendi, Louis E. Brus and Alexei I. Ekimov “for the discovery and synthesis of quantum dots”. 

Quantum dots are nanoparticles, meaning they are extremely tiny particles. These particles are larger than atoms but smaller than dust. You cannot see them with the naked eye. When you study Chemistry, you learn that the properties of any particle depend on the number of electrons in it. 

However, nanoparticles are different. The properties of nanoparticles depend on their size. This is because the electrons in nanoparticles are squeezed together because of how tiny nanoparticles are. 

Until now, scientists only knew that there was a possibility that such nanoparticles called quantum dots could exist. It had not been seen and proved. The Nobel Laureates in Chemistry 2023 have successfully created these quantum dots whose properties are controlled by their size. 

They have also found that depending upon the size of the quantum dots, they have different colours. These discoveries have earned them the Nobel Prize in Chemistry 2023.