Optical energy band gap investigation of the zinc carbide nanoparticles prepared by nanosecond pulsed laser ablation of zinc metals in hexane liquid medium

Abstract

Many different applications make use of carbide nanoparticles, which could be prepared via conventional techniques, but all of these techniques tend to be intricate, and several steps must be completed before fabrication can begin. However, in this study, we present, for the first time, a straightforward technique for the production of zinc carbide nanoparticles (ZnC) through the use of nanosecond laser ablation of a zinc target immersed in hexane with the assistance of a purged nitrogen gas. We conducted optical absorption spectroscopy on the produced nanostructured materials. We studied the optical properties using the conventional method of the Tauc relation. We compared these values with various innovative approaches, including the absorption spectrum fitting method (ASF) and its derivative method (DASF). We conducted an investigation into each approach's correction to achieve a satisfactory level of agreement between the values, and documented a comparable pattern. These results help us understand the physicochemical properties of zinc carbide and other nanoparticles or nanocomposites that do not have any chemical residues. They make them a possible candidate to improve luminescence catalytic activity, photonics, and optoelectronic applications.