Gold nanoparticle-mediated nanosecond laser-induced polystyrene carbonization with luminescent products

A highly soluble Au(I) gold precursor is used to produce a nanocomposite material consisting of a polystyrene matrix and gold nanoparticles. Irradiation of such a material with nanosecond laser pulses at the plasmon resonance wavelength leads to the formation of black spots containing luminescent products of carbonization. HR TEM analysis and Raman spectroscopy confirm disordered carbon. A simple model, based on laser heating of a nanoparticle to a temperature of more than 2000 K and stabilization of this temperature by the endothermic process of polystyrene carbonization, fits well with the dependence of the luminescent signal increment on the laser fluence.