The influence of pulsed laser ablation in liquids parameters on the synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles

Abstract

Pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) synthesis of Nanoparticles (NPs) is a bottom-up process with the advantage of the absence of chemical reagents in the solutions. In this process, NPs shape and diameter distributions on PLAL experimental parameters. We research the hydrodynamic diameter of the ZnO Nps correlation to media, wavelength, fluence, and irradiation time. Nine solutions, five in methanol and four in ultra-pure water were processed with fluences ranged from 4 to 15 J cm−2, target irradiation times from 8 to 15 min, and for wavelength of 532 nm and 1064 nm. We characterized the morphology and diameter distribution using Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS). Results showed that prolonging the irradiation time, reduces the diameter of the ZnO NPs by 41.4 % in methanol and increases it by 19.8 % in ultra-pure water. Change of medium from ultra-pure water to methanol revealed a maximum decrease of 84.2 % in NPs diameter while lowering the fluence resulted in a 62.6 % diameter reduction. The experimental results indicate that the medium and fluence were the most relevant parameters to obtain small NPs in methanol media with 80 nm diameter at 5 J cm−2, a wavelength of 1064 nm, and 20 min irradiation time and the diameter was less dependent on wavelength. Understanding the synthesis parameters and their effect on Nps diameter dispersion is critical for the scaling-up production to meet the PLAL’s promise of several grams per hour.