TITLE:
Structural Analysis of TiC and TiC-C Core-Shell Nanostructures Produced by Pulsed-Laser Ablation
AUTHORS:
Luis Enrique Iniesta Piña, Miguel Ángel Camacho López, Rafael Vilchis Néstor, Víctor Hugo Castrejón Sánchez, Delfino Reyes Contreras
KEYWORDS:
Laser Ablation, TiC, Nanoparticles, Core-Shell Nanoparticles, Pulsed Laser
JOURNAL NAME:
Journal of Materials Science and Chemical Engineering,
Vol.11 No.7,
July
14,
2023
ABSTRACT: This paper reports on the ablation process of a pure Ti solid target immersed in a C-enriched acetone solution, leading to the production of titanium carbide (TiC) and Ti-C core-shell nanostructures. The used route of synthesis is generally called pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL). The presence of carbon structures in the solution contributed to the carbon content in the produced Ti-based nanomaterials. The atomic composition of the produced nanostructures was analyzed using SEM-EDS, while TEM micrographs revealed the formation of spherical TiC and core-shell nanostructures ranging from 40 to 100 nm. The identification of atomic planes by HRTEM confirmed a 10 nm diameter C-shell with a graphite structure surrounding the Ti-core. Raman spectroscopy allowed for the identification of D and G peaks for graphite and a Raman signal at 380 and 600 cm−1, assigned to TiC. The results contribute to the state-of-the-art production of TiC and Ti-C core-shell nanostructures using the PLAL route.