A small laboratory with a big vision

Advanced experimental laboratories are essential for scientific progress, yet building one from scratch-especially in a resource-constrained setting-demands vision, persistence, and extraordinary effort. My journey to establish the Nanotechnology Research Laboratory (NRL) at BUET began in 2013, shortly after returning from the UK. That same year, I received my first research grant of BDT 1.36 lakh from the University Grants Commission of Bangladesh. Though modest-barely enough to purchase a single instrument-it carried immense symbolic weight, instilling in me the belief that the lab was possible. Additional support from a BUET development project soon allowed me to acquire a few essential tools, laying the foundation for what would gradually grow into a thriving research hub.

Space quickly became the next challenge. With the department's approval, I transformed an unused storeroom into a laboratory. In early 2014, that modest space was reborn as the Nanotechnology Research Laboratory.

Rather than spending all funds on a single advanced instrument, I chose to acquire essential equipment gradually. Each piece was carefully purchased, installed, and customised to meet our specific research needs. As our expertise grew, more sophisticated instruments followed, steadily expanding the lab's capabilities.

This bottom-up growth was soon accelerated by major external support. Between 2014 and 2015, we secured nearly BDT 2 crore from organisations including the World Academy of Sciences (TWAS), the Ministry of Science and Technology, the Ministry of Education, the Infrastructure Development Company Limited, and BUET. In 2017, an additional BDT 1.9 crore grant under the Higher Education Quality Enhancement Project (HEQEP) allowed us to acquire a new generation of advanced instruments.

Today, within a compact 425-square-foot space, the NRL houses an impressive suite of equipment: nanomaterials synthesis setups, high-performance furnaces, a ferroelectric loop tracer, a deionised water plant, fume hood, UV-visible and fluorescence spectrometers, a xenon solar simulator, an electrochemical workstation, gas chromatography, hydraulic press, autoclave, and centrifuge. What once was a disused storeroom now thrives as a state-of-the-art nanoscience laboratory-evidence that determination and vision can turn small beginnings into national innovation.

Our research has always focused on nanomaterials that can solve real-world problems in energy and the environment. In 2014, we took our first major step by creating tiny multiferroic particles-materials that opened new possibilities for clean energy and environmental solutions. This early success showed that even a small laboratory could contribute to cutting-edge science.

During the COVID-19 pandemic, when international supplies were disrupted, we faced a major challenge. Rather than stalling  our work, we improvised. Using locally sourced components, we assembled a setup and produced thermally stable cesium tin chloride nanocrystals, the first of their kind made in Bangladesh. This achievement demonstrated that creativity and resourcefulness can overcome even the toughest obstacles.

Building on this momentum, we developed advanced energy-storage devices known as super capacitors. The results were published in ACS Applied Materials & Interfaces, marking the first article in that journal authored solely by a Bangladeshi university team-a proud milestone for both our laboratory and the country.

In 2022, we engineered oxide-based super capacitors that set a new benchmark for performance in water-based systems. The following year, we discovered that the same material could efficiently clean polluted water under sunlight, breaking down harmful industrial dyes and pharmaceutical residues. This dual functionality-storing energy and cleaning the environment-perfectly reflects our vision of tackling multiple global challenges with a single material.

Around the same time, we explored innovative magnetic materials, revealing surprising properties that could benefit both energy storage and electronic devices. Later, with support from BUET's Research and Innovation Centre for Science and Engineering (RISE), we developed a hybrid nanomaterial that combined energy storage and environmental cleanup. This multifunctional approach reflects our evolving goal: creating materials that serve multiple sustainability purposes.

Most recently, in 2025, we succeeded in producing titanium aluminum carbide (Ti?AlC) MAX phase and MXenes using a safer, low-energy process. Traditionally, making these materials required hazardous chemicals, but our method avoided them-offering a greener, scalable alternative. These materials are now being explored worldwide for clean energy and environmental applications, and we are proud to have contributed an environmentally friendly option from Bangladesh.

Over the past decade, the NRL has published 55 research articles in leading and prestigious journals from publishers such as the American Chemical Society, Royal Society of Chemistry, Institute of Physics, American Institute of Physics, Elsevier, and Nature Publishing Group. Under my supervision, 4 PhDs, 10 M.Phils, and 15 MSc degrees have been awarded, and my students have earned 35 awards at national and international conferences. More than BDT 4 crore has been invested in the laboratory, supported by both local and international organisations. While these numbers are impressive, the true value lies not in the funding received but in the innovations made, the skills our students have developed, and the research capacity we have built.

And the story is still unfolding. In the coming years, we aim to strengthen our research in sustainable materials, energy storage, and functional nanostructures, while exploring new directions through collaborations. Our focus will remain on nurturing an environment where students gain advanced skills, contribute to meaningful research, and address pressing scientific and technological challenges. Progress may be gradual, but steady growth, creativity, and learning will continue to guide the laboratory's journey.

Building a laboratory from scrap in a developing country is a story of vision, resilience, and persistence. If this journey carries any message, it is this: creating impact does not always require vast resources-it requires determination, planning, and the will to make the most of what is available. To young researchers: start where you are, use what you have, and do what you can. Focus on mastering the fundamentals and build gradually. Do not be discouraged by limitations-let them spark your creativity. 

Mohammed Abdul Basith is Professor, Department of Physics, BUET. Founder and Principal Investigator, Nanotechnology Research Laboratory, BUET. Fellow of the Institute of Physics (FInstP), UK also Fellow of the Royal Society of Chemistry (FRSC), UK