LASER-ASSISTED SYNTHESIS OF WATER COLLOIDAL METALLIC NANOCOMPOSITES

Abstract

Picosecond and Nanosecond Nd:YAG laser systems with a fundamental wavelength of 1064 nm are utilizedfor green synthesis of bimetallic nanocomposites based on metal combinations of Pt/Ti, Pd/Ti, Pt/Zn and Pd/Zn. The laser assisted method is based on pulsed laser ablation of metal targets, which are immersed consecutively in bidistilled water to obtain water colloids of the corresponding bimetallic nanostructures. Comparative study of the structural and optical properties of the nanocomposites is conducted by means of transmission electron microscopy in its corresponding main modes and by optical spectrometer measurements, respectively. Suspensions of water colloids of the nanocomposites and methylene blue dye prepared in 1 : 2.5 ratio, respectively, are exposed under sunlight irradiation for 3 h. Photocatalytic activity of the nanocomposites against methylene blue (MB) dye is tested by measuring the optical absorbance of the suspensions before and after the sunlight irradiation.