Effects of fs pulsed laser ablation on synthetic zeolite targets

Abstract

With the aim to perform nanozeolite re-crystallization by laser treatment, the effects of Femtosecond Pulsed Laser Ablation (fs PLA) on three different targets of zeolite with LTA typology (zeolite A) were investigated. One sample of zeolite A was formed by modified standard IZA protocol (LTA). The other two were synthesised with the addition of red mud (RMFe-LTA) or nanomagnetite (NMFe-LTA) during the hydrothermal process. All the ablated targets were analysed by X-Ray Diffraction (XRD) and Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM). The results indicate that differences in chemical composition of the targets, together with the local temperature gradient determined by femtosecond laser-matter interaction occurring under high to middle-low pressures, have a significant influence on mineral and morphology changes of starting raw minerals as well as on evolution of reduction reactions. This is due to fast heating and cooling down processes inducing in turn different re-solidification characteristics mainly on RMFe-LTA and NMFe-LTA targets.