GUWAHATI: Scientists from the Indian Institute of Technology Guwahati (IITG) have achieved a significant breakthrough by developing four novel organic co-crystal systems with diverse applications, including drug discovery, imaging, therapeutics, fibre-optic communications, and optical devices.
The research findings, led by Prof Parameswar K Iyer of IIT Guwahati in collaboration with scientists from the University of Hyderabad and IISc Bengaluru, have been published in the prestigious Journal Nature Communications.
These co-crystals exhibit efficient light emission with minimal loss, opening avenues for diverse applications. The co-crystals, namely TAHOFN, TAHTFPN_G, TAHTFPN_O, and TAHTCNB, exhibit Delayed Fluorescence, Room Temperature Phosphorescence, and Aggregation-induced emission enhancement (AIEE). These properties make them shine brightly when clustered together, making them useful for biomedical applications and cellular imaging.
Prof Iyer highlighted the significance of these co-crystals in water dispersion, enabling effective uptake by cells and producing vivid cellular images. The research, co-authored by a team of scientists, demonstrates the potential applications of these co-crystals in cancer therapy and advanced technologies.
The study is funded by multiple organisations, including the Science and Engineering Research Board (SERB), Department of Science and Technology (DST), Department of Electronics and Information Technology (DeitY), Indian Council of Medical Research (ICMR), and Max-Planck-Gesellschaft.