Pulsed Laser Ablation of Graphite Target in Dimethyformamide

Carbon nanoparticles were synthesized using laser ablation of a graphite target in dimethylformamide (DMF) using Nd:YAG laser with a wavelength of 1064 nm. The target was irradiated by the laser beam with a pulsed energy of 3 J, a pulsed repetition rate of 2 Hz and a pulsed duration of 5 ms. SEM images presented that a flake-like morphology of graphites in the target transformed into a spherical-like shape with a broad size distribution ranging from 80-130 nm. The Raman spectrum showed the structure of graphite was changed after laser ablation. UV-visible and fluorescent spectrometers were used to investigate absorption and emission characteristics of the carbon nanoparticles, respectively. The fluorescent carbon nanoparticles which ablated in DMF can absorb a light in the UV range and emit a fluorescence of bright blue-green color. (C) 2013 The Authors. Published by Elsevier B.V.