Study of the Effect of Water Pressure on Plasma and Cavitation Bubble Induced by Pulsed Laser Ablation in Liquid of Silver and Missed Variations of Observable Nanoparticle Features

In this work the effects of the pressure between 1–150 Bar on pulsed laser ablation in liquids (PLAL) during the production of silver nanoparticles (AgNPs) in water was investigated. The produced NPs are the results of two different well-known stages which are the plasma and the bubble evolution occurring until the generated material is released into the solution. The main aim of this work is to show which roles is played by the variation of water pressure on the laser induced plasma and the cavitation bubble dynamics during the NPs formation. Their implication on the comprehension of the as-produced NPs formation mechanisms is treated. The typical timescales of the different stages occurring in water at different pressures have been studied by optical emission spectroscopy (OES), imaging and shadowgraph experiments. Finally surface plasmon resonance (SPR) spectroscopy, transmission electron microscopy (TEM), dynamic light scattering (DLS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) for characterization of the material released in solution, have been used.