Using a laser, a liquid, and a metal target, scientists have found a cleaner way to mass-produce nanoparticles, sidestepping toxic chemicals without sacrificing precision or scale.
Image Credit: Gorodenkoff/Shutterstock.com
Metal nanoparticles are increasingly prevalent in cutting-edge technologies, particularly in sensors used for healthcare, environmental monitoring, and industrial automation. Their unique properties, such as enhanced electrical conductivity and sensitivity to light, make them ideal for detecting tiny chemical or biological changes.
However, producing these particles in large quantities has been a persistent challenge. Traditional methods like chemical reduction or thermal decomposition rely on toxic reagents and energy-intensive processes, raising safety, cost, and environmental concerns.
Laser ablation in liquids (LAL) offers a cleaner alternative. By firing a high-energy pulsed laser at a metal target submerged in a liquid, the process generates nanoparticles through rapid melting, vaporization,n and condensation. It avoids chemical additives and can produce highly pure, controllable particles.
Investigating Scalability and Performance
In the study, published in the International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, researchers explored whether LAL could be adapted for industrial-scale use without compromising particle quality. They tested a range of metal targets, including gold, silver, copper, and their alloys, in various liquid environments such as distilled water and organic solvents.
The team systematically varied key laser parameters, including wavelength, pulse duration, energy density, and repetition rate. These changes were designed to assess their impact on nanoparticle yield, size distribution, and morphology.
The results were evaluated using an array of analytical techniques, including transmission and scanning electron microscopy (TEM and SEM), UV-Vis spectroscopy, dynamic light scattering (DLS), and X-ray diffraction (XRD).
To simulate scale-up conditions, the researchers increased laser power, extended processing times, and used high-repetition-rate lasers to improve throughput. They also introduced heat management systems to prevent target degradation and maintain stable ablation conditions during continuous operation.
Consistent Results at Higher Volumes
The process produced uniform, size-tunable nanoparticles with clean surfaces, ideal characteristics for sensor applications. Gold and silver particles, in particular, showed precisely tunable optical properties, such as localised surface plasmon resonances. These features are essential for high-sensitivity optical sensors, which rely on subtle shifts in light absorption to detect chemical or biological signals.
Significantly, scaling up the process did not reduce particle quality. The team achieved higher production rates while preserving the purity, shape, and size distribution of the nanoparticles, an important step toward commercial viability.
Because the method produces surfactant-free nanoparticles, the resulting materials are less prone to signal interference. This improves the reliability and accuracy of the sensors they’re used in, which is especially valuable in medical diagnostics and environmental detection, where false readings can have serious consequences.
Download your PDF copy now!
Future Directions and Industrial Potential
The study confirms that laser ablation in liquids is not only environmentally friendly but also scalable. It offers a practical route for manufacturing high-quality metal nanoparticles at industrial volumes.
The authors suggest that further work on reactor design, process automation, and long-term operational stability could help bridge the gap between laboratory research and full-scale production.
As demand grows for clean, efficient manufacturing of advanced materials, this technique may offer a viable pathway to faster, more accurate, and more sustainable next-generation sensor technologies.
Journal Reference
Choi J-G. et al. (2025). Scalable metal-based nanoparticle synthesis via laser ablation in liquids. International Journal of Extreme Manufacturing, 7, 062001. DOI: 10.1088/2631-7990/ade836, https://iopscience.iop.org/article/10.1088/2631-7990/ade836