Investigation of ablation efficiency and properties of silicon carbide nanoparticles synthesised using pulsed laser ablation in liquid

• Published in: Optics and lasers in engineering 2024-09, Vol.180, p.108341, Article 108341
• Main Authors: Heidarinassab, Saeid, Nyabadza, Anesu, Ahad, Inam Ul, Brabazon, Dermot
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: FESEM; Laser synthesis; Nanoparticles; Nd-YAG; PLAL; SiC
• ISSN: 0143-8166; 1873-0302
• DOI: 10.1016/j.optlaseng.2024.108341

•SiC NPs synthesised using nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid, and the effect of laser fluence, scanning speed, and ablation time was investigated.•Statistical analysis was performed and the optimum condition for the SiC ablation efficiency was obtained for the first time.•The result confirmed that 3C SiC was synthesised successfully where there was a direct relationship between the ablated mass and the concentration of the NPs within the liquid.•The ablated mass trend shifted from linear to unilinear as the laser fluence increased.•The fabricated 3C SiC NPs have potential applications in high-temperature, biomedical and electronics. This study optimised the synthesis and ablation efficiency of 3C silicon carbide (SiC) nanoparticles (NPs) using nanosecond pulsed laser ablation in liquid for electronic and biomedical applications. Various process parameters, including laser fluence, scanning speed, and ablation time, were systematically varied to assess their impact on ablation efficiency and NP properties. Statistical analysis identified optimal conditions: a 15 min ablation time, 0.5 m/s scanning speed, and 7.5 J/cm² laser fluence with the maximum mass productivity of 1.196 mg.h−1W−1. Characterisation techniques, including UV-Vis, Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS), FESEM with EDX, FTSEM, and XRD, confirmed that higher laser fluence, scanning speed, and ablation time increased colloid concentrations without altering NP shape or size. XRD analysis verified the phase composition as 3C SiC, with DLS showing smaller NP sizes than image analysis. The results also suggested that increasing the NP size decreased the optical band gap. A direct correlation was found between ablated mass and colloid concentration. [Display omitted]