VIJAYAWADA: Sreelekha Bhuvaneswari, a BSc Physics final-year student in SRM University-AP, filed a patent for her work “A fibre material with moisture retention capacity with thermal tolerance and a method for manufacture” under the guidance of Dr Sabyasachi Mukhopadhyay, Assistant Professor, Department of Physics, SRM University-AP.
The project develops a methodology to design a fabric cloth that would replace the use of air-conditioners. This cloth design is inspired by Saharan silver ants, which regulate their body temperatures in the desert heat and also from the cooling properties of clay.
This research would scale down the usage of AC and other cooling devices in warm places, thus decreasing the use of electricity and emission of greenhouse gases. As this cloth is eco-friendly with long durability and cost-efficiency, she hopes this research would bridge the socio-economic divide of haves and have-nots.
“I am grateful to Dr Sabyasachi sir for his help and guidance along the way. He believed in the concept and that inspired me to go forward,” she said. “The facilities here made the process seamless; once the proposal was made, the procedure was automated. I thank the officials for believing in my proposal and helping me get through the procedures smoothly,” she added.