Continuous wave laser ablation for tailored titanium nanoparticle synthesis: temperature and liquid medium effects

Abstract We reported for the first time the generation of titanium (Ti) nanoparticles (NPs) in different liquids (deionized (DI) water and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution) and at a range of temperatures (5 °C, 28 °C, 60 °C, and 80 °C) using continuous-wave high-power laser ablation in liquid (CWLAL). The CWLAL technique is a convenient and cost-effective way to generate NPs. The key outcomes of our investigation are the effects of temperature and the liquid mediums on the average size, generation rate, shape, surface charges, and crystallographic structure of the NPs. Generated NPs show consistent spherical shape regardless of liquid medium changes and temperature variation. SDS solution notably impacts NP size and generation rate with higher surface charges than DI water. For instance, at temperatures of 28 °C and 80 °C, the generation rates in SDS solution are 316 mg/hr and 309 mg/hr, with average NP sizes of 33 nm and 34 nm, respectively. In contrast, the generation rates in DI water are 96 mg/hr and 302 mg/hr, with NP sizes of 13 nm and 20 nm, respectively. The weaker crystallographic structure observed in NPs generated in SDS solution, compared to the more robust crystallographic structure of NPs synthesized in DI water. Liquid temperature plays a significant role in determining surface charges, average particle size, and molecular structure of NPs. The choice of the liquid medium and temperature can be critical for tailoring NP characteristics to specific applications. Ongoing work is being conducted to explore the possibilities of further progress in this area to generate efficient and customized NPs.