A Review of Bimetallic and Monometallic Nanoparticle Synthesis via Laser Ablation in Liquid

Abstract

Pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) is a physical and top-down approach used to fabricate nanoparticles (NPs). Herein, the research methods and current trends in PLAL literature are reviewed, including the recent uses of PLAL for fabricating bimetallic nanoparticles (BNPs) and composites. BNPs have gained attention owing to their advanced physicochemical properties over monometallic NPs. PLAL involves the irradiation of a solid target (usually a rod, plate, or thin film) under a liquid medium. The liquid collects the ejected NPs resulting from the laser processing, which produces a colloid that can be in various applications, including plasmon sensing, energy harvesting, and drug delivery. The most used fabrication techniques, including the use of microorganisms, do not have precise NP size control and require the separation of the microorganisms from the produced NPs. PLAL is quicker at producing NPs than bottom-up methods. The drawbacks of PLAL include the need to find the required laser processing parameters, which requires extensive experimentation, and the complex and non-linear relationships between the inputs and the outputs (e.g., NP size).

Synergistic antibacterial mechanism of silver-copper bimetallic nanoparticles

“…The top-down approach involves the use of physical techniques (e.g., pulsed laser ablation in liquids, grinding) or chemical methods (e.g., chemical alloying) to break down larger targets (e.g., rods, sheets or films) into smaller ones. In this process, the addition of stabilizers is selectively employed to prevent aggregation, resulting in the production of nanomaterials ( Nyabadza et al, 2023 ). However, research indicates shortcomings in the precise control of BNP size and shape using these methods.…”

“…In contrast, the bottom-up approach involves assembling atoms into nanoparticles (NPs) through physical methods (e.g., aerosol processing), chemical methods (e.g., chemical reduction, displacement reactions), or bio-synthesis methods ( Nyabadza et al, 2023 ). In this approach, nanostructures are assembled from the bottom up through stacking interactions between atoms and molecules, forming uniformly distributed structural units.…”

“…PLAL, as an exemplary approach for catalytic synthesis of nanoparticles, yields clean, uncapped, and surfactant-free nanoparticles with highly reactive surfaces. Compared to several prevalent manufacturing techniques, PLAL offers faster production of BNPs and effective control over the size distribution, yield, and shape of nanoparticles ( Fazio et al, 2020 ; Nyabadza et al, 2023 ). However, its drawbacks primarily revolve around the necessity to determine suitable laser processing parameters, demanding extensive experimental work, and the existence of intricate, nonlinear relationships between input and output factors (e.g., NP size) ( Nyabadza et al, 2023 ).…”

“…Noteworthy advantages of this method include the convenient synthesis of aerogels and the ability for large-scale nanoparticle production. However, it demands skilled chemists, involves multiple processing steps, and provides limited control over nanoparticle size ( Nyabadza et al, 2023 ).…”

Synthesis of Bimetallic Nanoparticles and Applications—An Updated Review

“…This process can be used to synthesize a well dispersed bimetallic nanoparticle, as reported by [64]. The mechanism of nanoparticle formation using laser ablation method is appropriately explained by [65] and [66], respectively.…”