Generation of phthalocyanine nanoparticles by laser fragmentation

The optical properties and morphology of laser generated aluminum and copper phthalocyanine nanoparticles (nAlPc and nCuPc) in water are experimentally studied. A near-infrared laser source of nanosecond pulse duration was used for the fragmentation of a Pc micro-powder suspended in H2O. The extinction spectra in the visible and near-IR range of nanoparticle colloidal solutions in milli-Q water were acquired by means of optical spectroscopy. The optical density of both nCuPc and nAlPc increases with the laser fragmentation time. Transmission electron microscopy shows that nCuPcs are made of short (100 nm) rectangular bars interconnected at various angles with other bars. A similar morphology is observed for nAlPc.