Fabrication, size control and functionalization of silver nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation synthesis in liquid

Functionalized nanoparticles are important analytical tool for biomedical applications. Pulsed laser ablation of bulk targets in an aqueous media is the one-step method for the fabrication, size manipulation and biofunctionalization of nanoparticles. We performed kHz laser ablation of a silver target by nanosecond pulses in tetramethylammonium hydroxide (TMAH) and sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) aqueous solutions to prepare silver nanoparticles. It was shown that the formation efficiency was increased by addition of TMAH and SDS as well as the stability of nanoparticles. The size decrease of the nanoparticles by addition of SDS was more remarkable than in the laser ablation in TMAH aqueous solutions. Emitted nanoparticles interact with TMAH and SDS in the secondary laser irradiation process leads to the nanoparticles stabilization in aqueous solutions.