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Nanoparticle formation by laser ablation in air and by spark discharges at atmospheric pressure

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Abstract

Recent promising methods of nanoparticle fabrication include laser ablation and spark discharge. Despite different experimental conditions, a striking similarity is often observed in the sizes of the obtained particles. To explain this result, we elucidate physical mechanisms involved in the formation of metallic nanoparticles. In particular, we compare supersaturation degree and sizes of critical nucleus obtained under laser ablation conditions with that obtained for spark discharge in air. For this, the dynamics of the expansion of either ablated or eroded products is described by using a three-dimensional blast wave model. Firstly, we consider nanosecond laser ablation in air. In the presence of a background gas, the plume expansion is limited by the gas pressure. Nanoparticles are mostly formed by nucleation and condensation taking place in the supersaturated vapor. Secondly, we investigate nanoparticles formation by spark discharge at atmospheric pressure. After efficient photoionization and streamer expansion, the cathode material suffers erosion and NPs appear. The calculation results allow us to examine the sizes of critical nuclei as function of the experimental parameters and to reveal the conditions favorable for the size reduction and for the increase in the nanoparticle yield.

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Acknowledgments

We gratefully acknowledge financial support from the European Union’s Seventh Framework program under Grant agreement no 280765 (BOUNAPART-E). We are also thankful to the CINES of France for computer time provided under the project number C2012085015.

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  1. Laboratoire Hubert Curien, UMR CNRS 5516, Lyon University, 18 rue du Professeur Benoit Lauras, 42000, Saint-Etienne, France

    T. E. Itina & A. Voloshko

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  1. T. E. Itina
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  2. A. Voloshko
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Correspondence to T. E. Itina.

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Itina, T.E., Voloshko, A. Nanoparticle formation by laser ablation in air and by spark discharges at atmospheric pressure. Appl. Phys. B 113, 473–478 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s00340-013-5490-6

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