Laser Ablation In Liquid Method Research Articles

Pulsed Laser‐Initiated Dual‐Catalytic Interfaces for Directed Electroreduction of Nitrite to Ammonia

Green and highly selective synthesis of ammonia (NH3) via electrochemical reduction reaction of toxic nitrite (NO2−RR) in a neutral electrolyte is a feasible solution for energy and environmental issues. Dual‐nature electrocatalysts combining metal and metal‐derived materials are crucial for enhancing the selectivity parameter and efficacy of this reaction. Here, Pd‐, Pt‐, Ru‐, and Ir‐decorated Co3(PO4)2 (CoPi) composites with a robust metal–support interaction are obtained via the one‐pot pulsed laser ablation in liquid method. Among the designed composites, Ir–CoPi affords ≈100% Faradaic efficiency, mass balance, and selectivity toward NH3 product at sufficiently low potentials. Further, it affords the highest NH3 yield rate of 19.13 mg h−1 cm−2 with 78.1% removal of toxic NO2− with a rate constant kapp = 0.31 mm min−1 under −1.6 V versus Ag/AgCl. In situ experiments and theoretical investigations reveal the underlying mechanisms responsible for this outstanding performance of Ir–CoPi, which can be accredited to the generation of specific active sites on the Ir component. Insights derived from the evolving intermediate reactive species provide new opportunities for large‐scale NH3 production through electrochemical techniques, density functional theory calculations, and the improvement of the corresponding industrial processes.

Elucidating the structural and spectroscopic attributes of titania-iron oxide (TiO2-([formula omitted]-Fe2O3)) nanocomposites: Showcasing a pulsed laser ablation in liquid approach

Various nanomaterials with tailored photo-electrochemical and physicochemical attributes became viable for the photo-catalysis and sensors applications. Thus, some new types of TiO2-(α-Fe2O3) nanocomposites were made via the pulse laser ablation in liquid method. These nanocomposites at each value of laser fluence were obtained by mixing the colloidal TiO2 nanoparticles and colloidal (α-Fe2O3) nanoparticles at equal ratio. The stability, structures, morphologies, and optical characteristics of the produced nanocomposites (suspended in deionized water) were customized by changing the laser fluence from 3.5–17.7 J cm−2. The high-resolution transmission electron microscopy micrographs showed the existence of homogeneous dispersion of spherical nanocrystallites (mean diameter 12.4 ± 6.0 nm) in the colloidal suspension. Both X-ray diffraction and Fourier transform infrared profiles of the specimen verified their purity and good nanocrystallinity. Two optical absorption peaks were probed in the range of 240 to 380 nm convoyed by a blue-shift. The spectral edge related to UV–Vis absorption was used to estimate the optical band gap of these nanocomposites. TiO2-(α-Fe2O3) nanocomposites made at optimum laser fluence (10.6 J cm−2) exhibited strong fluorescence with the life time decay of 3.64 μs, indicating the electronic density of states modification due to quantum size effects. The presence of Fe, Ti, and O in the X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy spectra reaffirmed the samples purity. The measured strong negative zeta potential (-33.1 mV) of the optimum TiO2-(α-Fe2O3) nanocomposites confirmed their excellent stability in the colloidal suspension. In short, these nanocomposites may be advantageous as good photo-catalysts for waste water treatment and photo-electrochemical uses.

Scavenger effect of Au NPs to stabilize the excess of TFSI− from Spiro-OMeTAD layer

In this work, Au NPs were produced by laser ablation in liquids method (LASis) in isopropyl alcohol (IPA) and processed onto the Spiro-OMeTAD (hole transport layer,HTL) in perovskite solar cells. Spiro-OMeTAD requires the use of additives to improve its electrical features, and these additives include the hygroscopic LiTFSI to promote the oxidation of this HTL. AFM images pointed out that the TFSI− precipitates along the surface of Spiro-OMeTAD with the aging time, thus resulting in reduced stability for devices operating in the air. Therefore, to avoid this problem, two procedures were adopted: washing the surface of Spiro-OMeTAD with IPA or processing the Au NPs onto the surface of Spiro-OMeTAD from IPA suspension. Both procedures were performed by spin coating method prior to the deposition of the top electrode. The photovoltaic response showed that the devices produced with modified HTL presented superior stability mainly due to the removal of TFSI− precipitates from the surface of the Spiro-OMeTAD and the residual excess of TFSI− that can be chemically adsorbed onto the gold surface via oxygen atoms.

Synthesis of CeO2/rGO Nanocomposites by Laser Ablation in Liquid Method and the Characterization for Advanced Materials Development

Synthesis of CeO2/rGO Nanocomposites by Laser Ablation in Liquid Method and the Characterization for Advanced Materials Development

Synthesis of tantalum nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid method and investigating the effect of electric field on the structural properties

In this research, tantalum nanoparticles were prepared by the laser ablation method and the effect of an electric field on their structural properties was investigated. The optical absorption spectra were studied to comprehend the optical properties of nanoparticles. Size and morphology of nanoparticles are illustrated by TEM images. The average size of tantalum nanoparticles is 19 and 45[Formula: see text]nm for synthesized samples without and with electric fields, respectively. By applying an electric field, the morphology of nanoparticles changed from spherical to tangled shapes. XRD analysis showed the crystalline structure of nanoparticles. The investigation of bending and stretching of molecular functional groups and the measurement of the hydrodynamic radius were done by FTIR, RAMAN and DLS analyses, respectively. FTIR, RAMAN, XRD and DLS analyses confirm the structure. EDX spectra confirmed the existence of ingredients. The stability of colloidal is indicated by zeta potential analysis. Photoluminescence spectra reveal nanoparticle properties. As the electric field increases, the size of nanoparticles increased, morphology changes from spherical, and oxidation increases.

Photo-thermal conversion properties of Cr, Mo, and W nanofluids in polyethylene glycol prepared by laser ablation in liquid method for direct absorption solar collectors applications

Nanofluids (NFs) are promising materials for solar-energy harvesting. The main drawback of NFs is their instability and longtime preparation methods that the purpose of this work relies on overcoming these problems. The Cr, Mo, and W NFs in polyethylene glycol (PEG) were synthesized by laser ablation in liquid (LAL). The capability of the prepared NFs in photo-thermal conversion was investigated under 60 min solar simulator irradiation at 1 Sun and thermo-physical properties of them (SER, Etotal, E%, and B) were calculated, indicating Cr NF has the highest photo-thermal conversion efficiency (E%≅85% at its near-to-surface). The comparison of nanoparticles radius obtained with transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and the hydrodynamic radius obtained with dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods, reveals that nanoparticles were surrounded by a thick layer of PEG molecules, leading to the super-stable and long-life NFs. The effect of the nanoparticle concentration, light intensity, and consecutive heating–cooling cycles on the performance of NFs was investigated. Under 1 h sunlight illumination (∼850–960 W/m2 intensity), the surface temperature of Cr NF reaches ≅ 65 ℃, indicating the Cr NF is highly eligible for photo-thermal conversion in the real outdoor condition. The low cost and simplicity of the synthesis method, no need to use stabilizer, super durability, high-thermal stability, low rate constant of heat dissipation, and high photo-thermal conversion efficiency confirms that Cr/PEG NF can be used as potential working fluid for direct absorption solar collectors (DASCs).

Some physical properties of Al nanoparticle Via pulse laser ablation in liquid method (PLAl)

Some physical properties of Al nanoparticle Via pulse laser ablation in liquid method (PLAl)

Comparative study on photo-thermal conversion properties of vanadium nanofluids prepared by laser ablation in H2O and polyethylene glycol

Nanofluids are colloidal systems broadly used in solar-energy utilization. The main disadvantages of nanofluids are their instability and time-consuming preparation methods, the aim of the present work is to introduce a nanofluid without the mentioned problems.Herein, two colloidal systems of vanadium including V/PEG (for the first time) and V/H2O nanofluids were synthesized by laser ablation in liquid method in polyethylene glycol and water, respectively and utilized in light-to-heat conversion. V/PEG is more stable than V/H2O as the oxidation state of vanadium is unchanged in polyethylene glycol but in water is changed until V2O5 is obtained. Unlike V/H2O, no agglomeration/precipitation takes place for V/PEG. Based on the images obtained from transmission electron microscopy, vanadium nanoparticles have different morphologies and sizes, helping V/PEG to absorb different wavelengths, resulting in more heat generation. The surface temperature of V/PEG reached ≅ 57 ℃ (ΔT ≅ 30 ℃), under 60 min sunlight irradiation (0.9 Sun). The V/PEG was used at high light intensities and several successive heating–cooling cycles without losing its heat-generation performance. Different calculated thermo-physical parameters reveal that V/PEG is more eligible than V/H2O in photo-thermal conversion with several advantages: inexpensive and simple synthesis, dispersant-free, long-colloidal stability, high photo-thermal durability and high heat-generation efficiency.

Targeted delivery of paclitaxel drug using polymer-coated magnetic nanoparticles for fibrosarcoma therapy: in vitro and in vivo studies

Fibrosarcoma is a rare type of cancer that affects cells known as fibroblasts that are malignant, locally recurring, and spreading tumor in fibrous tissue. In this work, an iron plate immersed in an aqueous solution of double added deionized water, supplemented with potassium permanganate solution (KMnO4) was carried out by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method (PLAIL). Superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) were synthesized using different laser wavelengths (1064, 532, and 266 nm) at a fluence of 28 J/cm2 with 100 shots of the iron plate to control the concentration, shape and size of the prepared high-stability SPIONs. The drug nanocarrier was synthesized by coating SPION with paclitaxel (PTX)-loaded chitosan (Cs) and polyethylene glycol (PEG). This nanosystem was functionalized by receptors that target folate (FA). The physiochemical characteristics of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA nanoparticles were evaluated and confirmed by Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy (FTIR), scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-Ray diffraction (XRD), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and dynamic light scattering (DLS) methods. Cell internalization, cytotoxicity assay (MTT), apoptosis induction, and gene expression of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA were estimated in fibrosarcoma cell lines, respectively. In vivo studies used BALB/c tumor-bearing mice. The results showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA exhibited suitable physical stability, spherical shape, desirable size, and charge. SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA inhibited proliferation and induced apoptosis of cancer cells (P < 0.01). The results of the in vivo study showed that SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA significantly decreased tumor size compared to free PTX and control samples (P < 0.05), leading to longer survival, significantly increased splenocyte proliferation and IFN-γ level, and significantly decreased the level of IL-4. All of these findings indicated the potential of SPION@Cs-PTX-PEG-FA as an antitumor therapeutic agent.

Folate decorated dextran-coated magnetic nanoparticles for targeted delivery of ellipticine in cervical cancer cells

The dextran-coated superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles (SPIONs) grafted with foliate (FA) were prepared and used as a nanocarrier for ellipticine (ET) delivery in cervical cancer. In this work we prepared superparamagnetic iron oxide nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation in liquid method. The formation of the SPION@DEX-ET-FA nanosystem was performed by a reverse microemulsion process. Dynamic light scattering (DLS), atomic force microscopy (AFM), and field emission scanning electron microscope (FESEM) were used to characteristic the morphological properties of the NPs. The appropriate impact of a therapeutic dose of SPION@DEX-ET-FA on both cancer and healthy cell lines was estimated using a 3- (4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl) -2,5-diphenyltetrazolium bromide (MTT) assay. The flow cytometry assays was used to evaluate the induction of apoptosis in Hela cervical cancer cells. The findings of the SPION@DEX-ET-FA formulated were spherical particles with an average size, polydispersity and a zeta potential of 101 ± 15.02 nm, 0.075 and −33.8 mV, respectively. The nanosystem displayed dose-dependent cytotoxic effects on Hela cells. The results showed that SPION@DEX-ET-FA retained antitumor activity and no adverse effects on healthy cells were found.

Adsorption of phosphate ions from water using PVA-NiO nanocomposite based on tuning influence of pulsed laser ablation method

For the purpose of getting rid of phosphate in the direction of preserving the eco-system, nickel oxide nanoparticles (NiO NPs) have recently been used to address this issue. For that, NiO NPs were generated using a laser ablation in liquid method of PVA solution and encapsulated in a PVA matrix structure with different particle sizes using a nanosecond solid-state laser with a change in laser influence. Then, their physicochemical properties were studied using various methods. It was found that NiO NPs were distributed very well inside the PVA structure, which was confirmed by the presence of both characteristic vibrational peaks of PVA and NiO with shifting in the peak of PVA and the appearance of the main characteristic transition peaks of the d-d transition of NiO, relating to the impedance of the PVA structure with NiO NPs. The optimal conditions for the elimination of phosphate ions from water solutions were determined by examining the impacts of a number of important affected parameters. A concentration of 100 mg L−1 of phosphate can be removed from a liquid medium at pH 6 using a PVA-NiO nanocomposite. This work lays the route to getting on different nanocomposite materials to get rid of different hazardous chemical compounds.

Performance evaluation of rose bengal dye-decorated plasmonic gold nanoparticles-coated fiber-optic humidity sensor: A mechanism for improved sensing

Low-cost fiber-optic humidity sensors with fast response became demanding. Thus, well-dispersed pruned triangular plasmonic gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) of mean size 16.4 ± 7.3 nm were prepared in Rose Bengal dye (RBD) using pulsed laser ablation in liquid method at laser fluence of 7.9 ± 0.3 J/cm 2 . These stable RBD molecules-decorated AuNPs (RBD-AuNPs) showed enhanced fluorescence (lifetime decay ranged from 7.1 ± 0.9–6.4 ± 0.2 ns) and localized surface plasmon resonance absorption. The fabricated RBD-AuNPs-coated fiber-optic relative humidity sensor (FO-RHS) when tested against polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) at intensity modulation of 40–100 % RH) displayed higher sensitivity (0.08 a.u./%RH) and linearity (0.86 a.u./%RH) compared to the one coated with pure AuNPs. This improvement was mainly due to the adherence mechanism of –OH and COOH functional groups of RBD onto AuNPs surface, enabling in binding strongly the PVA molecules via hydrogen bonds. • Gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) were made in rose Bengal dye (RBD) medium by PLAL method. • These RBD-AuNPs showed improved fluorescence and LSPR absorption. • Fluorescence lifetime decay was varied from 7.1 to 6.4 ns. • Presence of –OH and –COOH groups on AuNPs surface enabled strong binding of PVA molecules by hydrogen bonding. • RBD-AuNPs-coated fiber-optic relative humidity sensor (FO-RHS) showed fast response. • Obtained FO-RHS displayed a good sensitivity (0.08 %) and linearity (0.86 %).

Preparation of CeO2 nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid method and its UV-absorption properties

Preparation of CeO2 nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid method and its UV-absorption properties

One step synthesis of stable nanofluids of Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt in PEG using laser ablation in liquids method and study of their capability in solar-thermal conversion

Synthesis of pure and stable metallic nanoparticles with a fast, green, and cost-effective method is a challenging topic. Herein, stable nanofluids by the laser ablation in liquids (LAL) are prepared. The prepared nanofluids include Cu, Ag, Au, Ni, Pd, and Pt nanoparticles (having localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property) dispersed in polyethylene glycol (PEG). The average particle and hydrodynamic diameters of ∼ 4.5 nm and ∼ 106 nm for Ag nanoparticles reveal the capping of nanoparticles by PEG which leads to the high stability of the nanofluids. The photo-thermal conversion capability of all the samples is studied. The Ag, Au, and Pd nanofluids show the highest capability in the photo-thermal conversion. For Ag nanofluid, the surface temperature reaches ≅ 52 °C (ΔT ≅ 24 °C) during 60 min sunlight radiation. Moreover, the eligibility of the Ag nanofluid in converting light to heat is examined in different light intensities and various nanoparticle concentrations. For all the synthesized nanofluids, the thermal properties including, stored energy ratio, total stored energy, photo-thermal conversion efficiency, and heat dissipation are calculated and compared. Based on all results, the prepared nanofluids show noticeable eligibilities: simplicity, environmental-friendly, and fast preparation method, no need for stabilizers or hazardous chemicals, thermal durability and stability, and good performance in photo-thermal conversion.

BRINGING SPACE TECHNOLOGY TO MINING – BIOSENSORS FOR HEALTH MONITORING IN REAL TIME AS A MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Nowadays, mining industry is striving to be regarded as a modern and highly-technological field with no negative connotation to its name. The human factor is constantly increasing in significance, making mining industry more people oriented, and more and more efforts are being made to bring modern technologies into service and help create safer work environment. Utilising new types of biosensors provides remote health monitoring of workers in mining industry, thus enabling the real time monitoring of vitals of a person, permitting timely medical care and preventing long-term negative exposures. In this regard, the use of flexible, lightweight and wearable biosensors is seen as very convenient and patient-friendly in work environment without interfering with the daily activities. In this study we present a non-enzymatic glucose sensors based on ZnO nanoparticles prepared by a laser ablation in liquid method.

BRINGING SPACE TECHNOLOGY TO MINING – BIOSENSORS FOR HEALTH MONITORING IN REAL TIME AS A MODERN MANAGEMENT PRACTICE

Nowadays, mining industry is striving to be regarded as a modern and highly-technological field with no negative connotation to its name. The human factor is constantly increasing in significance, making mining industry more people oriented, and more and more efforts are being made to bring modern technologies into service and help create safer work environment. Utilising new types of biosensors provides remote health monitoring of workers in mining industry, thus enabling the real time monitoring of vitals of a person, permitting timely medical care and preventing long-term negative exposures. In this regard, the use of flexible, lightweight and wearable biosensors is seen as very convenient and patient-friendly in work environment without interfering with the daily activities. In this study we present a non-enzymatic glucose sensors based on ZnO nanoparticles prepared by a laser ablation in liquid method.

Tunable random lasing in Au@Fe3O4, Fe3O4@Au core shell nanoparticles under external magnetic field

This work aims to control the random laser performance using magneto-plasmonic Fe3O4@Au and Au@Fe3O4 core shell nanoparticles as scatterer points in Rh6G dye. For this purpose, nanoparticles were produced via laser ablation in liquid method and mixed together in a dye medium. After characterizing samples through transmission electron microscopy and florescence spectra in the visible region, the samples were pumped via second harmonic generation of Nd: YAG laser and random lasing action were gathered by spectrometer. These measurements were performed with and without external magnetic field in four different magnetic field strengths of 1.08, 2.35, 17.7, and 20.7 mT. Our results revealed good full width at half maximum of laser efficiency in the samples exposed to the external magnetic field. In addition, using the external magnetic field, the samples with larger Fe3O4 core NPs and smaller shell thicknesses indicated a better ability to achieve a tunable random lasing under the external magnetic field.

Efficient photo-thermal conversion using Pt nanofluid prepared by laser ablation in liquid

Pt-nanofluids with localized surface plasmon resonance (LSPR) property were environmentally-friendly prepared using the laser ablation in liquids (LAL) while H 2 O acts as a working fluid. Based on transmission electron microscopy (TEM), the obtained Pt nanoparticles have an average diameter of 6 nm which were strongly surrounded with H 2 O molecules, leading to excellent longtime durability. Moreover, fluorescence spectroscopy and fluorescence microscopy images indicated that the prepared sample has fluorescence property that makes it capable to absorb more light and then, to convert it to heat. The Pt-nanofluids were applied for light to heat conversion. After several continuous heating/cooling cycles, the prepared nanofluids did not lose their efficiency in terms of light to heat conversion. In addition, the potential of the Pt-nanofluids in harvesting solar energy was investigated. The infrared thermographs proved that the upper layer temperature of the Pt-nanofluids reached > 49 °C after 60 min light illumination, under ≅ 0.9 Sun intensity. The obtained results proved that the prepared Pt-nanofluids have outstanding advantages, consist of fast, simple, and green synthesis method, no necessity for dispersant, high thermal-stability, long-time stability, and high performance in photo-thermal conversion. So, the Pt-nanofluids have high capability for practical solar energy utilization. • Pt-nanofluids were synthesized via one step and fast LAL method. • Pt-nanofluids used for photo-thermal conversion for consecutive cycles without losing its performance. • The prepared Pt-nanofluids have long life and thermal stability. • Pt-nanofluids used for solar energy harvesting.

One-step ultrafast laser induced synthesis of strongly coupled 1T-2H MoS2/N-rGO quantum-dot heterostructures for enhanced hydrogen evolution

Strongly coupled transition-metal dichalcogenides/carbon hybrids are cost-effective and robust electrocatalysts for hydrogen evolution reaction, and further designing quantum-dot structures of hybrid catalysts often maximizes the accessible active sites and facilitates charge transfer and consequently their catalytic performance. However, the rational design and facile synthesis of such quantum-dot hybrid still remains a central challenge. Herein, an effective and controllable strategy is presented for one-step synthesis of strongly coupled 1T-2H MoS2/N-rGO quantum-dot heterostructures using spatially shaped laser ablation in liquid (LAL). The yield of QDs reaches 75.16 wt%, indicating that the mass production of such QDs is feasible using LAL method. Moreover, both characterizations and density functional theory calculations reveal that the much enhanced electrochemical HER performance arises from the optimized chemical composition, improved conductivity, and strongly coupled structural/electronic features. Correspondingly, the as-formed quantum-dot heterostructures exhibit remarkably low overpotential of 97 mV at 10 mA c2, a small Tafel slope of 39 mV dec-1 and high durability, outperformed most previously reported QDs-based electrocatalysts. This versatile strategy overcomes the current limitations of strong-coupled quantum-dot heterostructures materials preparing and offers a synergistic modulation approach for designing highly active HER catalysts viable for practical application.

Photothermal and Photodynamic Therapy of Tumors with Plasmonic Nanoparticles: Challenges and Prospects.

Cancer remains one of the leading causes of death in the world. For a number of neoplasms, the efficiency of conventional chemo- and radiation therapies is insufficient because of drug resistance and marked toxicity. Plasmonic photothermal therapy (PPT) using local hyperthermia induced by gold nanoparticles (AuNPs) has recently been extensively explored in tumor treatment. However, despite attractive promises, the current PPT status is limited by laboratory experiments, academic papers, and only a few preclinical studies. Unfortunately, most nanoformulations still share a similar fate: great laboratory promises and fair preclinical trials. This review discusses the current challenges and prospects of plasmonic nanomedicine based on PPT and photodynamic therapy (PDT). We start with consideration of the fundamental principles underlying plasmonic properties of AuNPs to tune their plasmon resonance for the desired NIR-I, NIR-2, and SWIR optical windows. The basic principles for simulation of optical cross-sections and plasmonic heating under CW and pulsed irradiation are discussed. Then, we consider the state-of-the-art methods for wet chemical synthesis of the most popular PPPT AuNPs such as silica/gold nanoshells, Au nanostars, nanorods, and nanocages. The photothermal efficiencies of these nanoparticles are compared, and their applications to current nanomedicine are shortly discussed. In a separate section, we discuss the fabrication of gold and other nanoparticles by the pulsed laser ablation in liquid method. The second part of the review is devoted to our recent experimental results on laser-activated interaction of AuNPs with tumor and healthy tissues and current achievements of other research groups in this application area. The unresolved issues of PPT are the significant accumulation of AuNPs in the organs of the mononuclear phagocyte system, causing potential toxic effects of nanoparticles, and the possibility of tumor recurrence due to the presence of survived tumor cells. The prospective ways of solving these problems are discussed, including developing combined antitumor therapy based on combined PPT and PDT. In the conclusion section, we summarize the most urgent needs of current PPT-based nanomedicine.