A team of researchers from Indian Institute of Science (IISc), Bengaluru, Max Planck Institute for Intelligent Systems, Stuttgart, Germany, and University of Stuttgart, Stuttgart, Germany have developed a novel silver nanoparticle-graphene hybrid photodetector device with an increased ability to detect Ultraviolet light.

Silver nanoparticles are nanoparticles of silver whose size varies from 1 nm to 100 nm. They are commonly used in the manufacture of about 200 consumer products, including clothing and cosmetics. While their antibacterial properties are hailed, reckless dumping of these nanoparticles is reported to pollute water and soil due to formation of toxins like silver sulfide.