Cholesterol-based nanomaterials unlock quantum tech potential

Mumbai: Researchers at the Institute of Nano Science and Technology (INST), Mohali, have developed cholesterol-based nanomaterials that could serve as novel platforms for quantum technologies and spintronic applications. The work, led by Dr Amit Kumar Mondal and supported by the Department of Science and Technology (DST), demonstrates how a biomolecule typically associated with cardiovascular risk can be repurposed to manipulate electron spin, a quantum property central to next-generation electronics.

Dr Amit Kumar Mondal with his team
(Pic Courtesy: PIB)

The team’s approach leverages cholesterol’s intrinsic chirality and molecular flexibility to construct supramolecular frameworks capable of controlling spin orientation. By integrating metal ions into these organic structures, the researchers created nanomaterials that selectively filter electron spins. Crucially, both spin directions can be tuned within a single system, allowing for precise control over spin flow using chemical stimuli. This dual-direction control marks a significant step forward in the design of spintronic materials, which rely on the manipulation of electron spin rather than charge.

Spintronics, short for spin-based electronics, is a field that promises energy-efficient alternatives to conventional semiconductor technologies. Materials that can separate and guide electron spins with high fidelity are essential for developing memory devices, sensors, and quantum computing components. The INST team’s findings, published in Chemistry of Materials, show that cholesterol-based systems offer a chemically tunable route to spin control, potentially reducing the complexity and cost of device fabrication.

The research also underscores the broader potential of biomaterials in quantum applications. Unlike synthetic polymers or inorganic substrates, cholesterol offers a biologically derived, structurally versatile platform that can be modified with relative ease. This opens up possibilities for integrating spintronic functions into bioelectronic devices, where compatibility with living systems is a key requirement.

While the study remains at the materials development stage, its implications are far-reaching. The ability to engineer spin-selective pathways using simple chemical modifications could accelerate the deployment of spin-based components in commercial technologies. Moreover, the use of cholesterol, a widely available and well-characterised molecule, may simplify regulatory and manufacturing hurdles associated with novel quantum materials.

Visualising spintronics: Cholesterol-based nanomaterials
guide electron spin with chemical precision

The work reflects a growing interest in interdisciplinary approaches to quantum engineering, where insights from chemistry, biology, and materials science converge to address longstanding challenges in electronics. As quantum technologies move from theoretical constructs to practical systems, innovations like these will be critical in shaping their scalability and sustainability.

The INST team’s contribution adds a new dimension to the field, positioning cholesterol not just as a biological molecule but as a functional material with quantum relevance. Whether this leads to commercial spintronic devices or remains a foundational advance in materials science, it signals a shift in how researchers think about the building blocks of future electronics.