Au Nanoparticle-Decorated TiO₂ Nanospheres Produced by Laser Reshaping in Water

Abstract:

Here, we demonstrate formation of spherical-shaped amorphous titania (TiO₂) nanoparticles decorated with Au nanoclusters via nanosecond pulse ablation (7-ns, 532-nm wavelength) of commercially available TiO₂ nanopowders dispersed in an aqueous solution of chloroauric acid (HAuCl₄). Generation of such hybrid nanostructures was found to be caused by laser-induced remelting of the initial TiO₂ nanoparticles, stimulated by Au nanoclusters that can adsorbed on their surface and boost light-to-heat conversion process in optically transparent titania. The morphology and chemical composition of the obtained hybrid nanomaterials were studied in detail via scanning electron microscopy, Raman spectroscopy and Energy Dispersive X-ray spectroscopy. The average size and number of Au nanoclusters reduced on the TiO₂ nanoparticle surface was shown to be tuned by varying the initial nanoparticles/HAuCl₄ concentration ratio. Spectroscopic measurements of single hybrid nanoparticles scattering, as well as the corresponding numerical calculations of electromagnetic fields structure near their surface indicate synthesized functional nanomaterials as extremely promising for numerous applications of modern optics, optoelectronics and nanophotonics, e.g., realization of advanced chemo-and biosensing platforms, as well as of new-generation solar cells.

• Periodical: Solid State Phenomena (Volume 312)
• Pages: 113-120
• DOI: https://doi.org/10.4028/www.scientific.net/SSP.312.113
• Online since: November 2020
• Authors: Stanislav O. Gurbatov*, Sergei A. Kulinich, Aleksandr A. Kuchmizhak
• Keywords: Hybrid Nanomaterials, Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquids, Titanium Dioxide

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