EXPRESS: Calibration-Free Laser-Induced Plasma Analysis of Nanoparticle-Doped Material Using Self-Absorption Correction Methodologies

Abstract

The qualitative and quantitative analysis of doped nanomaterial containing iron (Fe) and tin (Sn) nanoparticles was investigated using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS). Doped nanoparticles were prepared via co-precipitation and hydrothermal processes. The emission spectra of ablated plasma of doped material revealed the existence of different species in the doped nanomaterial. Simple calibration-free LIBS (CF-LIBS) and internal reference self-absorption correction (IRSAC) CF-LIBS approaches were applied to emission spectra of nanomaterial for quantitative analysis. For both approaches, different spectroscopic parameters such as plasma temperature and electron number density were also determined. Plasma temperature was estimated using a Boltzmann plot and Saha-Boltzmann plot while electron number density was estimated by Stark broadening methods and Saha-Boltzmann equations. Results of both calibration-free approaches were compared with a weight percentage method and other recognized techniques such as laser ablation time of flight (LA-TOF) spectroscopy and energy dispersive X-ray (EDX). We concluded that our results provide good agreement with experimental data obtained using LA-TOF spectroscopy and a small deviation from data obtained using the EDX technique. The current work confirms LIBS as a valid analytical approach for quantitative analysis of nanomaterials.

A Review of Development in the Research of Self-Absorption on Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

“…These methodologies were evaluated against the certified composition, with the outcomes indicating that CF-LIBS with IRSAC yielded the most favorable results. Farooq et al 80 utilized the IRSAC method in conjunction with an electron number density conservation model to analyze laser ablation and the evolution of plasma properties. Additionally, Borges et al 81 employed the line width method to evaluate self-absorption of a particular analyzed line and opted for the IRSAC method for lines comparable energy levels.…”

Qualitative and quantitative analysis of nanoparticles using laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) and energy dispersive x-ray spectroscopy (EDS)

“…LIBS is a type of atomic emission spectroscopy that uses highly energetic laser pulses as an excitation source. Because LIBS is a technique that is simple, easy to handle, less time consuming and fast for measurement, it is fascinating for the determination of the evo lution of mineral composition [4], archeological artifacts [7], cosmetics [8], thin films [9], polymers [10], detection and identification of bacteria [11] and micro and nanomaterials [12]. In the last decade, LIBS has also been used extensively in a variety of fields.…”