MUMBAI, India, Feb. 6 -- Intellectual Property India has published a patent application (202631010866 A) filed by C. V. Raman Global University, Bhubaneswar, Orissa, on Feb. 2, for 'localized thermal gradient reactor for additive-free hydrothermal growth of highaspect ratio nanostructures.'

Inventor(s) include Dr. Surya Prakash Ghosh; and Dr. Jyoti Prakash Kar.

The application for the patent was published on Feb. 6, under issue no. 06/2026.

According to the abstract released by the Intellectual Property India: "The present invention relates to a localized thermal gradient reactor and process for additive-free hydrothermal synthesis of high-aspect-ratio nanostructures, particularly applicable to metal oxides such as zinc oxide (ZnO) and other functional nanomaterials. The invention specifically addresses the limitations of conventional hydrothermal systems, which suffer from inefficient precursor utilization, rapid depletion of reactive species near the substrate, and reliance on chemical additives or surfactants to achieve extended nanostructure growth. The reactor comprises a borosilicate glass vessel in which only a limited upper volume (approximately 4-6% of total volume) is selectively heated using an external localized heating element under precise PID temperature control, while the bulk solution remains at a lower temperature. This configuration establishes a stable vertical thermal gradient that naturally drives continuous convection and diffusion of precursor ions from the cooler bulk region toward the heated growth region. The substrate, positioned within the heated limited-volume zone using a Teflon holder, benefits from continuous replenishment of fresh reactive species without requiring external pumping or mechanical stirring. The thermal-gradientdriven mass transport mechanism enables prolonged nanostructure growth (5-30 hours) with significantly improved length and uniformity, reduced energy consumption (60-70% savings), complete elimination of chemical additives, and minimal precursor wastage. The invention is not limited to ZnO and can be extended to other metal oxides, chalcogenides, and functional nanomaterials, making it highly applicable in research laboratories, semiconductor manufacturing, sensor fabrication, and advanced materials industries."

Disclaimer: Curated by HT Syndication.