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Abstract:
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We have studied a continuous aerosol process for producing oxide nanoparticles with sizes of 10 -60 nm that are decorated with smaller 1 -3 nm metallic nanoparticles . Such particles may be useful in a number of areas including catalysis and as contrast enhancement agents in biomarkers . To produce the oxide nanoparticle carriers , an aerosol of 1 -10 [micrometer] oxide particles are ablated using an excimer laser . The resulting oxide nanoparticle aerosol is then mixed with 1 -2 [micrometer] metallic particles and this mixed aerosol is ablated a second time . The oxide nanoparticles are too small to ablate but act as seeds for the nucleation of metallic nanoparticles on the surface of the oxide . The nanoparticle sizes can be varied by changing the gas type or gas pressure in the aerosol . We demonstrate the feasibility of such an approach using two oxides , SiO₂ and TiO₂ , and two metals , Au and Ag . |