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 or extremely tiny particles. They are bigger than individual atoms, but extremely small compared to other solid particles. They are so small that their properties are dependent on their size. When we study Chemistry, we learn that the properties of any element are dependent on the number of electrons it has. But when we talk about nanoparticles, something called a quantum phenomenon takes place. Because of this phenomenon, the properties of the nanoparticle become dependent on its size. This happens because the smaller a particle, the more its electrons are squeezed together. This influences its properties. 

All this time, scientists only knew about quantum dots in theory. The Nobel Laureates in Chemistry 2023 have successfully created these quantum dots whose properties are governed by their size. They have also found that depending upon the size of the quantum dots, they have different colours. The discovery of quantum dots will greatly benefit nanotechnology.