Spectral aging of gold and silver nanoparticles synthesized by laser ablation in liquids

Gold and silver nanoparticles attract broad scientific interest for their applications in chemical and biological sensing and imaging and for their potential in biomedical therapeutics. Pulse laser ablation in liquids has been extensively used as a clean alternative to chemical methods for the production of metal nanoparticles. Hence, the major aim of related research is to produce highly stable colloidal nanoparticles with finer nanoparticles and a narrower size distribution. The purpose is to compare the ability of various liquid media (ethanol, distilled water, and acetone) to reproduce the spectra and size distribution of gold and silver nanoparticles formed using the laser ablation technique. The analysis is conducted through the ultraviolet–visible–near infrared absorbance spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy images. Gold and silver nanoparticles that are synthesized in acetone display high spectral stability compared with that of the nanoparticles synthesized in distilled water and ethanol; this difference is mainly due to the ability of acetone to synthesize particles with a much smaller size and narrower particle size distribution.