Pulsed Laser in Liquids Made Nanomaterials for Catalysis

Abstract

Catalysis is essential to modern life and has a huge economic impact. The development of new catalysts critically depends on synthetic methods that enable the preparation of tailored nanomaterials. Pulsed laser in liquids synthesis can produce uniform, multicomponent, nonequilibrium nanomaterials with independently and precisely controlled properties, such as size, composition, morphology, defect density, and atomistic structure within the nanoparticle and at its surface. We cover the fundamentals, unique advantages, challenges, and experimental solutions of this powerful technique and review the state-of-the-art of laser-made electrocatalysts for water oxidation, oxygen reduction, hydrogen evolution, nitrogen reduction, carbon dioxide reduction, and organic oxidations, followed by laser-made nanomaterials for light-driven catalytic processes and heterogeneous catalysis of thermochemical processes. We also highlight laser-synthesized nanomaterials for which proposed catalytic applications exist. This review provides a practical guide to how the catalysis community can capitalize on pulsed laser in liquids synthesis to advance catalyst development, by leveraging the synergies of two fields of intensive research.

Identification of the main mixing process in the synthesis of alloy nanoparticles by laser ablation of compacted micropowder mixtures

“…Laser synthesis of colloids (LSC) represents a relatively new but high-potential synthesis method among these [8,9]. The method has particular strength in catalyst screening applications, as molar fraction series of alloy catalysts are easily accessible [10,11]. In LSC, a laser beam of high intensity ablates the surface of a bulk material covered by a liquid layer, generating thus nanoparticles that disperse in the liquid.…”

Nanoscale Self‐Wetting Driven Monatomization of Ag Nanoparticle for Excellent Photocatalytic Hydrogen Evolution

“…Silver nanoparticles (NPs) with a sub-10-nm size have been proved by many novel instincts, including surprising low melting point, astonishing liquid-like pseudo elasticity, outstanding hydrogen evolution performance, etc. [1][2][3] All these performances are considered originating from nanoscale effects, that is, super high percentage and chaotic arrangement occur since the strong interface interaction and vastly driving force in nanoscale. These interactions originate from the balance between cohesive energy of Ag atoms on the surface of NPs and excess energy of Ag atoms in CN vacations.…”

“…Silver nanoparticles (NPs) with a sub‐10‐nm size have been proved by many novel instincts, including surprising low melting point, astonishing liquid‐like pseudo elasticity, outstanding hydrogen evolution performance, etc. [ 1–3 ] All these performances are considered originating from nanoscale effects, that is, super high percentage and chaotic arrangement of energetic interfacial atoms, inconsecutive lattice period, quantum tunneling effect, and so on. [ 4–9 ] Some studies have been made as a great breakthrough understanding about sized effects of nanomaterials.…”

Hybrid Au-Si microspheres produced by laser ablation in liquid (LAL) for temperature-feedback optical nano-sensing and anti-counterfeit labeling

“…This provides a pathway for the preparation of nanomaterials with a wide range of morphology, structure and composition (including meta-stable and non-equilibrium phases). Laser irradiation of LAL-generated dispersions can further expand the method functionality, allowing for highperformance preparation of diverse hybrid nanomaterials for photovoltaics 17,18 , photothermal conversion 19,20 , catalysis [21][22][23] , nonlinear optics 24 , sensing [25][26][27][28] and medi-cal applications 29,30 . Gold, the most chemically stable plasmon-active metal, and silicon, an earth-abundant semiconductor widely applied for all-dielectric metasurface design, present an intriguing combination, in which the advantages of plasmonic and nanophotonic concepts can be merged within unified nanostructures.…”