posted on 2024-02-13, 07:16authored byAnnalisa Scroccarello, Flavio Della Pelle, Tiziano Di Giulio, Elisabetta Mazzotta, Cosimino Malitesta, Dario Compagnone
A straightforward
CO2 laser-plotter-based
technique
to obtain different types of metal nanoparticles on paper is presented.
This strategy allows the instantaneous laser-induced generation of
metal nanoparticles (LIMs) anchored onto cellulosic substrates with
micrometric resolution and customizable patterns; Au, Ag, Pt, Ni,
and Cu LIMs have been obtained. LIM features were characterized by
scanning electron microscopy, energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy,
and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy. LIMs are plasmonic-active and
characterized by colorimetric features consistent with nanostructure
chemistry and density. Arrays of LIMs were assembled in two paper-based
formats: (i) a nanocatalytic multimetal comb-shaped device to prove
LIMs’ remediation ability for the switch-off of organic dyes
and (ii) a paper-based nano colorimetric LIM array challenged for
peracetic acid (PAA) vapor sensing, useful in the area of environmental
sanitization. LIM nanochemistry allows (i) rapid (<1 min) organic
dye catalytic conversion and (ii) sensitive PAA detection (LOD ≤
0.3 μg mL–1) capable of discriminating PAA
exposure levels from 0.5 to 60 mg m–3. LIM-based
devices returned reproducible data (RSD ≤ 15%, n = 3). Summing up, the proposed strategy is particularly prone to
generate catalytic/sensing zones in tailored paper-based devices,
resulting in a new sustainable nanopatterning technique appealing
in the (bio)sensing and nanochemistry fields.