The Government College University, Lahore this week made an unprecedented achievement by getting another key invention, “ZNO-SIO2 nono-powder for the development of latent fingerprints”, patented with the United States Patent and Trademark Office. “It’s the fourth US patent of GCU which is hopefully going to be landmark development for crime scene investigation,” said Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman while talking to media regarding the approval of the university’s fourth patent application.
The patent in the field of forensics and nano-technology is the result of research done by Punjab Forensic Science Agency (PFSA) Director General Dr Mohammad Ashraf Tahir, Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman and GCU Nano-chemistry Laboratory Director Dr Muhammad Akhyar Farrukh for developing indigenous strong and low-cost nano-powder for lifting latent fingerprints from nonporous surfaces such as metal, glass or plastic. This nano-powder composition contains 40-50 percent zinc and 10-20percent silicon and it is patented as it lifts even minor fingerprints without contaminating them. This nano-powder gives very clear images of fingerprints by adhering to the moisture and oily constituents of sweat residue through pressure deficit mechanism.
The Vice Chancellor said that the ZNO-SIO2 nono-powder was tested at the Punjab Forensic Science Agency and was a result strong collaboration between the two institutions.
Talking further about collaboration with PFSA, Vice Chancellor Prof Rahman said that modern research had grown complex and multidisciplinary and it was not possible for a single research institution or university to possess all the knowledge, equipment, and techniques required. Therefore, he added, it was imperative to establish academic and research links and share resources, expertise and equipment with each other. He expressed gratitude to the Punjab Forensic Science Agency DG for his technical support for research at GCU in the area of forensics.
However, the VC also said, GCU had also established modern nano-chemistry laboratory to advance research in the fields of solar cells, nanocatalysis, nanofiltration, nanoforensics, nanodrugs, nanofertilizers and wastewater treatment. He said that GCU was expecting to have more patents in the above fields in the coming years.
It is pertinent to mention here that the United States Patent Office had already patented the GCU’s invented ‘analytical grade salt’, ‘nano-leucite for slow release nitrogen fertiliser and green environment’ and ‘zinc oxide nanoflakes for treatment of pollutants’.
GCU Dean Prof Dr Islam Ullah Khan and faculty members said that the bases of research had become highly strong at GCU in the last four years due to the untiring efforts of Vice Chancellor Prof Dr Muhammad Khaleeq-ur-Rahman. He said that GCU had developed and sold several processes to the indigenous industry.