Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-vdxz6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-25T04:43:09.281Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

Metal and Metal-oxide Nanoparticle Synthesis by Laser Ablation of Aqueous Aerosols

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  19 September 2011

Kristofer L. Gleason ,
John W. Keto ,
Desiderio Kovar  and
Michael F. Becker
Kristofer L. Gleason
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, U.S.A.
John W. Keto
Affiliation:
Department of Physics, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, U.S.A.
Desiderio Kovar
Affiliation:
Department of Mechanical Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, U.S.A.
Michael F. Becker
Affiliation:
Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering, University of Texas at Austin, Austin, TX, U.S.A.
Get access

Abstract

We present a scalable, continuous manufacturing method of nanoparticle production based on laser ablation of an aerosol generated from an aqueous precursor solution. A Collison nebulizer is used to generate a mist of ~10 μm diameter water droplets containing dissolved transition metal salts, suspended in 1 atmosphere of buffer gas. Water from the droplets quickly evaporates, leaving solid particles ~2 μm in diameter for a typical solution concentration. These microparticles are then ablated by a pulsed KrF excimer laser (10 ns, λ = 248 nm, 2 J/cm2 at focus). Ablation results in plasma breakdown of the microparticle and photothermal decomposition of the precursor material. Following ablation, nanoparticles 5-20 nm in diameter are formed and collected. For AgNO3 ablated in He gas, metal Ag nanoparticles were produced. For Cu(NO3)2 ablated in He, crystalline Cu2O nanoparticles were produced. For Ni(NO3)2 ablated in He, crystalline NiO nanoparticles were produced. A combination of AgNO3 and Cu(NO3)2 ablated in a reducing atmosphere of 10% H2 and 90% He yielded Ag-Cu alloy nanoparticles. In contrast to conventional wet-chemical synthesis processes, our nanoparticles are formed ‘bare,’ without surfactants or organic material contaminating the surface. Owing to their small size and high free surface area, nanoparticles produced by this process are ideally suited for applications that include catalysis and facilitated transport membranes.

Keywords

laser ablationalloynanoscale
Type
Research Article
Information
MRS Online Proceedings Library (OPL) , Volume 1365: Symposium TT – Laser-Material Interactions at Micro/Nanoscales , 2011 , mrss11-1365-tt03-02
Copyright
Copyright © Materials Research Society 2011

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

REFERENCES

1. Silvert, P.Y., Herrera-Urbina, R., Duvauchelle, N., Vijayakrishnan, V. and Elhsissen, K.T., J. Mater. Chem. 6, 573 (1996).Google Scholar
2. Majumdar, D., Kodas, T.T. and Glicksman, H.D., Adv. Mater. 8, 1020 (1996).Google Scholar
3. Nichols, W., Keto, J., Henneke, D., Brock, J., Malyavanatham, G., Becker, M. and Glicksman, H., Appl. Phys. Lett. 78, 1128 (2001).Google Scholar
4. May, K.R., J. Aerosol Sci. 4, 235 (1973).Google Scholar
5. Fernández de la Mora, J., Hering, S.V., Rao, N. and McMurry, P.H., J. Aerosol Sci. 21, 169 (1990).Google Scholar
6. Woods, R., Fleming, B.D., Buckley, A.N. and Gong, B., ECS Trans. 28(6), 51 (2010).Google Scholar
7. Subramanian, P. and Perepezko, J., J. Phase Equilib. 14, 62 (1993).Google Scholar
8. Pandey, O., Mishra, N., Ramachandra, C., Lele, S. and Ojha, S., Metall. Mater. Trans. A 25, 2518 (1994).Google Scholar