Nano objects evaluation for nanoparticle enhanced laser induced breakdown spectroscopy analysis of polymers using a handheld device
Résumé
Polymer additives are essential to provide essential properties to the plastic materials. Some of the mainly employed additives contain metals essential to measure like Sb, Pb or P. Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy suffers a lack of sensitivity for these elements and especially when using handheld devices. The recent developments in Nanoparticles Enhanced Laser Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (NELIBS) have led to improvement of signals mainly in conductive materials. In this work we prepared and evaluate nano-objects with different shapes and size to improve element signals on plastic samples. Ellipsoid, bipyramids and spheres increased significantly sensitivity of most additives i.e. P, Sb, Mg and Pb. The obtained gold ellipsoids nano-objects were of small dimensions and gave best signal enhancement. The NELIBS also increased the CaF molecular band signal by a factor of 2. These results indicate that the NELIBS can be used in quantitative analytical application for plastics even for difficult elements like fluorine.