Synthesis and Photothermal Properties of UV-Plasmonic Group IV Transition Metal Carbide Nanoparticles

Abstract

Refractory nanostructures are low-cost and chemically and thermally robust alternatives to noble metal based plasmonic materials. Transition metal nitrides have received much of the attention lately, but there has been less emphasis on closely related non-layered carbide counterparts. In this work, plasmonic group IV transition metal carbide (TiC, ZrC, and HfC) nanostructures were prepared using a facile magnesiothermic reduction method which yielded phase pure product. TiC, ZrC and HfC with rock salt crystal structure and an average particle size of 24, 31, and 42 nm, respectively were obtained by reacting corresponding metal oxide, magnesium, and biochar in solid-state. Calculations performed using finite element method predicted these group IV carbide nanostructures to have localized surface plasmon resonance in the UV region between 150 175 nm. The photothermal transduction efficiency of each carbide was explored to further verify the plasmonic behavior. HfC was found to have the highest photothermal transduction efficiency (73%), followed by ZrC (69%), and then TiC (60%) at 365 nm.

Refractory Plasmonic Material based Floating Solar Still for Simultaneous Desalination and Electricity Generation

“…Char derived from waste tire rubber and plasmonic TiC nanoparticles (NPs) were prepared using a modified previously reported method. 58,59 The schematic of the material synthesis and interface fabrication is shown in Figure 2. In short, tires were ground into a fine rubber crumb before undergoing pyrolysis at 500 °C for 1 h under inert atmosphere to form amorphous carbon (Figure S1).…”

“…Titanium carbide NPs were prepared according to a previously reported procedure. 59 Briefly, in a nitrogen filled glovebox, 1.0 g of the corresponding metal oxide (TiO2 ZrO2, or HfO2) was mixed with waste tire char (0.30 g) and magnesium (1.20 g) powders using a mortar and pestle until a homogenous mixture was obtained. The mixture was transferred to a stainlesssteel combustion boat and placed into a quartz tube.…”

Recent progress on photothermal nanomaterials: Design, mechanism, and applications

“…15,16 Materials that leverage the photothermal effect to generate radiant heat, influencing the efficiency of energy conversion and broadening application spectra, are referred to as photothermal materials. This category spans an eclectic array of material classes, including metal carbides, 17,18 transition metal oxides, [19][20][21] precious metal nanoparticles manifesting plasmonic resonance, [22][23][24] and non-metallic carbon-based substances such as graphene, carbon fibers, and carbon black, [25][26][27] in addition to silicon-centric materials like black silicon and silicon dioxide. [28][29][30] Currently, photothermal materials are deployed Between 2000 and 2024, the field of photothermal materials experienced consistent and significant growth, highlighted by their varied applications in disciplines such as chemistry, material sciences, and nanotechnology.…”