**Summary:**
A recent study by scientists at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, a Department of Science and Technology (DST) autonomous institute, has demonstrated the potential of cholesterol-based nanomaterials in spintronics. Published in *Chemistry of Materials*, the research reveals that cholesterol's unique structural properties (chirality and flexibility) make it a suitable platform for developing supramolecular spintronic materials. The scientists, led by Dr. Amit Kumar Mondal, have shown that by combining cholesterol with different metal ions, they can create nanomaterials capable of selectively filtering electron spins and controlling spin direction within a single system. This chemical tunability, achieved through adjustments to metal ion type and concentration or via achiral chemical stimuli, allows for precise manipulation of spin information. This advancement in biomaterials for quantum and spin technologies could lead to the development of energy-efficient memory chips, greener technology, and advanced bioelectronic devices due to the high precision separation of molecules achieved by these spin-based materials. Release ID: 2164715. Posted on 08 SEP 2025 5:41PM by PIB Delhi.
Key Entities Referenced
Institute of Nano Science and Technology INST, Mohali: An autonomous research institute located in Mohali, Punjab, India.
Department of Science and Technology DST: A department under the Ministry of Science and Technology, Government of India.
Dr. Amit Kumar Mondal: A scientist leading the research team working on cholesterol-based nanomaterials.
Chemistry of Materials: A journal where the team's findings were published.
Delhi: Location where press release was issued.
Punjab, India: State in India where Mohali is located
Ministry of Science Technology: The Indian government ministry responsible for science and technology policy and initiatives.
Cholesterol: A fat-like substance being explored for its potential in spintronic devices.
Ministry of Science & Technology
Cholesterol could power tomorrow’s electronics
Posted On: 08 SEP 2025 5:41PM by PIB Delhi
Cholesterol can be used to control the spin of electrons—an invisible quantum property that could
contribute to the development of energy efficient next generation spintronic devices.
Cholesterol, the fat like substance which is typically related to heart diseases serves as an ideal platform for
constructing supramolecular based spintronic materials.
This is because it enables precise control over molecular properties due to its intrinsic handedness
(chirality) and flexibility.
Scientists from Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, an autonomous institute
of the Department of Science and Technology (DST) have introduced cholesterol-based
nanomaterials as novel platforms for future quantum technologies and spintronic applications.
These materials could manipulate the spin of electrons-- a quantum feature critical for the next
generation of electronics. By combining metal ions with the organic framework, the team of
scientists led by Dr. Amit Kumar Mondal have shown that how well a material can separate
electrons based on their magnetic "spin" orientation by adjusting the kind and concentration of
metal ions.
Fig: Dr. Amit Kumar Mondal & his team
By combining cholesterol with different metal ions, the researchers created nanomaterials that selectively
filter electron spins. Interestingly, both spin directions could be controlled within a single system. This means
that with a simple chemical tweak or an achiral chemical stimulus the scientists could tune the flow of spin
information. Their findings, recently got published in Chemistry of Materials.
This chemical tunability provides a powerful and elegant technique for manipulating spin information with
high precision, representing a substantial advancement in the development of biomaterials for advanced
quantum and spin technologies.
This could lead to Energy-efficient memory chips for greener technology and bioelectronic devices, since the
spin-based materials can help separate molecules with extreme precision.***
NKR/PSM
(Release ID: 2164715)