Adding functionality to metal nanoparticles during femtosecond laser ablation in liquids

Abstract

This study presents an approach to the in-situ functionalization of metal nanoparticles, established by laser ablation in solution. Additives as polyvinylpyrrolidone (PVP), thiols or alkoxysilanes, that undergo physisorption with the surface of the nanoparticles, can be added to the solution and used as functionalization agents. The concentration of the additive influences the particle size distribution, which leads to plasmon resonance shifts, measurable by UV/VIS spectroscopy. As an example, the size dispersion and stability of generated gold nanoparticles can be controlled by varying the concentration of dodecanthiol as an additive during laser ablation of gold in n-hexane. Moreover, silica shells can be generated to protect metal nanoparticles (gold and copper) against oxidation by in-situ coating and subsequent silica shell formation. In-situ functionalizations of nanoparticles during laser ablation in liquids present a promising approach to the development of nanomaterials for biomedical applications.