Abstract
The application of laser ablation has been widely used for the synthesis and characterization of nanomaterials and film deposition. Of particular interest are the combinations of laser ablation techniques with other chemical and physical processes to synthesize new materials with novel properties. In this paper, we specifically address two areas of materials chemistry which promise far-reaching progress for the development of novel materials with unusual properties. The first area deals with the synthesis of polymeric materials containing ultrafine metal particles. This has been achieved by combining recent advances in laser vaporization/ionization of metals with the very fast propagation rates characteristic of ionic polymerization. In the experiments, laser vaporization of metal targets is used to generate ultrafine metal particles and cations which are capable of catalyzing the cationic polymerization of isobutylene. High molecular weight polymers containing submicron metal particles have been obtained. This method can lead to the generation of new polymeric materials with unique properties. In the second area, combination of laser vaporization of metals with gas phase chemical reactions followed by controlled condensation from the vapor phase is used to synthesize nanoscale metal oxide, carbide and nitride particles with controlled sizes and compositions. The microscale structures of the SiO
2 and Al
2O
3 particles exhibit interesting web-like morphology with a significant volume of voids. Raman, IR, XPS, mass spectrometric and electron microscopic studies of these particles will be presented. These materials may have special applications in catalysis and as reinforcing agents for liquid polymers.