This high technology can be applied to India's AMCA project
The research for all this could be happening in the relatively sedate campus of BITS Pilani KK Birla Goa campus at Zuarinagar
PANAJI: In defence, the use of radar absorbing materials (RAMs), which are capable of absorbing microwave radiation in the X-band region, is required to hide an aircraft or warship by reducing its radar cross section (RAS).
The nano materials lab of the department of chemistry at the Goa campus began its research activity in 2006-07. But its very first research project came from the Defence Research Development Organisation (DRDO). A key project being handled by the nano materials lab for DRDO involves developing strategic defence material like RAM, which can be used in military vehicles, including aircraft. The lab has been working on strategic defence materials over the last nine to 10 years with extramural research funding from DRDO.
“The research activity started in 2006-07 with a project funded by DRDO. Under this project, we have developed a synthetic strategy to prepare a variety of iron oxide-based nanoparticles in water medium. It was demonstrated that by using this technique magnetic nanoparticles with tunable magnetic property can be prepared. We started the collaboration with Defense Lab Jodhpur to evaluate the magnetic properties of the materials, which we have synthesized at BITS Goa,” said associate professor of department of chemistry, Narendra Nath Ghosh, who is the principal investigator for the research project. Such materials are useful in developing radar absorbing material for military vehicles.
“The major research activity at the nano materials lab involves developing methodologies for preparation of nano structured materials and their applications. These methodologies are novel, but simple and cost-effective,” said Dr Ghosh.