TUNGSTEN AND ALUMINIUM NANOPARTICLES SYNTHESIZED BY LASER ABLATION IN LIQUIDS

In this work we explore the viability of laser ablation of W and Al metal targets immersed in acetone and water, respectively, as a technique to produce metal nanoparticles having structural, morphological, and compositional properties that are related to those expected to be created as by-products in next-generation nuclear fusion reactors. The morphology of laser processed particles was investigated by means of scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Information regarding their size-distribution was inferred from the SEM micrographs using computer imaging software. Energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy (EDAX) analysis was used to reveal the composition of resulting particles. The formation of spherically shaped metal nanoparticles with sizes ranging from few tens of nanometers to several hundreds of nanometers is revealed for all samples. Ablation in acetone appears to result in strong contamination with C and pronounced agglomeration of particles. Ablation in water medium gives rise to much more dispersed particles, allowing for computer imaging software analysis of their size distributions. Both of these morphologies are relevant in terms of future particle treatments and environmental/toxicology studies, as dust created in future fusion reactors is expected to exhibit both a core-shell structure and a simpler structure that is susceptible to rapid oxidation.