Controllable preparation of phase-separated Pb/Zn heterogeneous nanoparticles by laser ablation and their application in the growth of PbS tipped ZnS nanorods heterostructures

Phase-separated Pb/Zn heterogeneous nanoparticles (Pb/Zn HNPs) with a controllable phase ratio were firstly prepared by long-pulse-width millisecond laser ablation of Pb/Zn binary metal target immersed in anhydrous ethanol under room conditions. The phase ratio in the as-ablated Pb/Zn HNPs was mainly determined by the molar ratio of Pb/Zn in the initial binary metal target and the structure of Pb/Zn HNPs was partly influenced by the pulse laser width. Then the PBS tipped ZnS nanorods heterostructures (PbS/ZnS heterostructures) were grown by simply heating the mixture of the as-ablated Pb/Zn HNPs and thioacetamide (TAA) at 450 °C in a tube furnace. The size and morphology of Pbs/ZnS heterostructures were decided by the original absolute size and relative size between phase-separated Pb and Zn nanoparticle. The formation of Pbs/ZnS heterostructures was the result of the diffusion-limited of S atoms in the Pb/Zn HNPs. This study not only provides a new strategy for the controllable preparation of phase-separated bimetallic nanoparticles that can be used for the growth of specific heterostructures but a new view on the fundamental physical and chemical aspects of nanocrystal formation after laser ablation of solids in liquids.