Materials developed by C-MET used in key areas: R Chidambaram

The Centre for Materials for Electronics Technology (C-MET) here is developing a large number of materials and devices needed for important uses in the country, Principal Scientific Adviser to the Union Government R Chidambaram said on Thursday.

"Many of these materials and devices are being used by our mission-oriented agencies. In nuclear applications, we want zirconium without hafnium. Whatever is left over from there, is purified and the hafnium is supplied to ISRO by C-MET so that it can be used...," he said.

Several other devices have been developed by C-MET, he said.

He was speaking on the sidelines of the C-MET's Annual Foundation Day celebrations and inauguration of International Conference on Advanced Semi-Conductor Materials and Devices.

Replying to a query, he said every kind of waste, which has value has to be recycled.

Citing a report, he said about 1,80,000 tonnes of aluminium per annum would emerge out of discarded vehicles by 2020.

"A report was prepared by the Indian National Academy of Engineering on aluminium. I was told in the report, whereby 2020, the amount of aluminium in discarded vehicles, automobiles, is something like 1,80,000 tonnes per annum.

"That aluminium can be recovered by re-melting at six percent of the energy cost compared to smelting the ore," he said.

Electronic waste is an important area, as the number of electronic devices are growing in number in the country, he added.

G Satish Reddy, Scientific Advisor to Raksha Mantri, also spoke on the occasion.