Nanoswelling Structures of Silicone Rubber Under Aluminum Nanoparticles Induced by 193 nm ArF Excimer Laser
Year: 2025
Type: article
Abstract: In metal nanoparticles, localized surface plasmon resonance occurs due to the interaction between electrons on the surface and light. Among them, aluminum (Al) nanoparticles are known to have a resonant absorption wavelength in the ultraviolet light region. In this paper, I found a new phenomenon in which nanoswelling structures are formed on the silicone rubber surface by distributing Al nanoparticles on the surface and irradiating them uniformly with an ArF excimer laser at a wavelength of 193 nm. The formation of the nanoswelling structure was not observed when gold nanoparticles were distributed. Thus, the mechanism of nanoswelling structure formation is considered as follows: localized surface plasmon resonance is induced in the Al nanoparticles by the interaction between the Al nanoparticles and the ArF excimer laser, which causes photodissociation of the Si-O-Si bonds of the silicone rubber underneath, volume expansion due to molecular weight reduction, and swelling to nanometer sizes. The present study provides a new biomimetic method for ensuring the mechano-bactericidal functions of a silicone rubber surface to develop highly functional plastic windows for automobiles.
Source: Electronic Materials
Author: Masayuki Okoshi
Institution: National Defense Academy of Japan
Language: English
Subfield: Computational Mechanics
Field: Engineering
Domain: Physical Sciences
Open Access status: gold
Estimated APC paid: $1,207
OpenAlex ID: W4415401079