Abstract
Hybrids of semiconductor nanomaterials often demonstrate properties that are superior to those of their components. In this study, we prepared hybrid nanomaterials of TiO2 and ZnO, which are among the most actively studied semiconductors, by means of millisecond-pulsed laser and analyzed how their morphology, particle size, and surface composition depend on preparation conditions. A series of nanomaterials were obtained via sequentially ablating Zn and Ti metal plates (in different sequences) in water, while laser pulses of lower (2.0 J/pulse) and higher (5.0 J/pulse) energy were applied. The properties of laser-produced hybrid TiO2-ZnO nanomaterials were shown to be governed by experimental conditions such as laser pulse width, pulse peak power, and reaction media (either pure water or colloid with nanoparticles). The morphology revealed nanospheres of TiO2 that decorate nanorods of ZnO or flower-like aggregates of zinc oxide. Intriguingly, after extended ablation time, titania was found to be self-doped with Ti3+ and Ti2+ ions, and the contribution of lower oxidation states of titanium could be controlled by the applied laser pulse energy. The physicochemical characteristics of hybrid nanomaterials were compared with pure ZnO and TiO2 prepared under the same laser conditions.
Highlights
Laser ablation in liquid (LAL) is a convenient, reliable, and efficient technique to produce various types of colloidal nanomaterials, from monometallic nanoparticles (NPs) to functionalized composites [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]
The extremely high temperature gradient and quenching rates created in the reaction zone during LAL often lead to the formation of metastable phases or unique morphologies of nanomaterials, as well as defect-rich surfaces, which are the main reasons for the potential attractiveness of LAL-produced nanomaterials for catalysis and photocatalysis [7,8,9,10], optics and optoelectronics, sensing, and biomedical applications [1,2,3,4,5,6,11,12,13,14,15]
In this work, using a millisecond-pulsed laser, a series of single-phase and mixed hybrid nanomaterials based on ZnO, TiO2, and their mixtures were prepared
Summary
Laser ablation in liquid (LAL) is a convenient, reliable, and efficient technique to produce various types of colloidal nanomaterials, from monometallic nanoparticles (NPs) to functionalized composites [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9]. This method is considered to be an environmentally friendly approach, as it uses a minimum volume of solvents (as media) and reagents to produce NPs with a clean surface, without generating big amounts of chemical waste or side products [1,2,3,4,5,6,7,8,9,10,11,12]. The extremely high temperature gradient and quenching rates created in the reaction zone during LAL often lead to the formation of metastable phases or unique morphologies of nanomaterials, as well as defect-rich surfaces, which are the main reasons for the potential attractiveness of LAL-produced nanomaterials for catalysis and photocatalysis [7,8,9,10], optics and optoelectronics, sensing, and biomedical applications [1,2,3,4,5,6,11,12,13,14,15]
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