On-line monitoring of composite nanoparticles synthesized in a pre-industrial laser pyrolysis reactor using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy

Tanguy Amodeo (1) , Christophe Dutouquet (1) , François Tenegal (2) , Benoît Guizard (2) , Hicham Maskrot (2) , Olivier Le Bihan (1) , Emeric Frejafon (1)

1 INERIS - Institut National de l'Environnement Industriel et des Risques
2 Commissariat à l'Energie Atomique

Laser-induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) was employed for on-line and real time process monitoring during nanoparticle production by laser pyrolysis. Laser pyrolysis has proved to be a reliable and versatile method for nanoparticle production. However, an on-line and real time monitoring system could greatly enhance the process optimization and accordingly improve its performances. For this purpose, experiments aiming at demonstrating the feasibility of an on-line monitoring system for silicon carbide nanoparticle production using the LIBS technique were carried out. Nanosecond laser pulses were focused into a cell through which part of the nanoparticle flux diverted from the production process was flowed for LIBS analysis purposes. The nanoparticles were vaporized within the laser-induced plasma created in argon used as background gas in the process. Temporally-resolved emission spectroscopy measurements were performed in order to monitor nanoparticle stoichiometry. Promising results were obtained and on-line Si/C-x stoichiometry was successfully observed. These results put forward the possibility of real time correction of the nanoparticle stoichiometry during the production process.

Keywords: LIBS; ON-LINE MONITORING; PROCESS CONTROL; LASER PYROLYSIS; COMPOSITE NANOPARTICLES

Domains: Environmental Sciences

Tanguy Amodeo, Christophe Dutouquet, François Tenegal, Benoît Guizard, Hicham Maskrot, et al.. On-line monitoring of composite nanoparticles synthesized in a pre-industrial laser pyrolysis reactor using Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy. Spectrochimica Acta Part B: Atomic Spectroscopy, 2008, 63 (10), pp.1183-1190. ⟨10.1016/j.sab.2008.09.005⟩. ⟨ineris-00961925⟩