skip to main content
OSTI.GOV title logo U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Title: Continuous laser irradiation under ambient conditions: A simple way for the space-selective growth of gold nanoparticles inside a silica monolith

Journal Article · · Materials Research Bulletin
;  [1]; ;  [2]; ;  [1]
  1. Laboratoire PhLAM (CNRS, UMR 8523), IRCICA (FR CNRS 3024), Batiment P5, Universite Lille 1-Sciences et Technologies, F-59655 Villeneuve d'Ascq Cedex (France)
  2. Laboratoire LMI (CNRS, UMR 5615), Batiment Berthollet, 22 Avenue Gaston Berger, Universite de Lyon 1, F-69622 Villeurbanne Cedex (France)

Highlights: {yields} Visible continuous laser direct-write gold nanoparticles inside a silica monolith. {yields} The presence of the additive (Na{sub 2}CO{sub 3}) is not necessary to the growth of gold nanoparticles. {yields} A simple heat treatment leads to precipitation of gold nanoparticles inside the silica matrices with, or without, the additive. {yields} The local precipitation of gold nanoparticles by continuous photo-irradiation occurs following a photo-thermal activated mechanism. -- Abstract: Thanks to the potential and various applications of metal-dielectric nanocomposites, their syntheses constitute an interesting subject in material research. In this work, we demonstrate the achievement of gold nanocrystals growth through a visible and continuous laser irradiation. The in situ and direct space-selective generation of metallic nanoparticles is localized under the surface within transparent silica monoliths. For that purpose, the porous silica monoliths are prepared using a sol-gel route and post-doped with gold precursors before the irradiation. The presence of Au nanoparticles inside the irradiated areas was evidenced using absorption spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction analysis and transmission electron microscopy. The comparison between the results obtained after a laser irradiation and by a simple heat-treatment reveals that the local precipitation of gold nanoparticles by continuous photo-irradiation occurs following a photo-thermal activated mechanism.

OSTI ID:
22212235
Journal Information:
Materials Research Bulletin, Vol. 46, Issue 9; Other Information: Copyright (c) 2011 Elsevier Science B.V., Amsterdam, The Netherlands, All rights reserved.; Country of input: International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA); ISSN 0025-5408
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English