Effects of laser fluence and liquid media on preparation of small Ag nanoparticles by laser ablation in liquid

•Silver nanoparticles were successfully obtained by laser ablation method.•The investigation of different conditions in synthesis was performed.•Correlation between fluence and liquid medium on concentration was evidenced.•High laser fluence values of the order of thousand Joules/cm2 were used.•Used conditions allowed producing AgNPs with different sizes from 2 to 120nm. This study aims to assess a method for preparation of small and highly stable Ag nanoparticles by nanosecond laser ablation in liquid. Effect of liquid medium and laser fluence on the size, morphology and structure of produced nanoparticles has been studied experimentally. Pulses of a Nd:YAG laser of 1064nm wavelength at 35ns pulse width at different fluences were employed to irradiate the silver target in different environments (water, ethanol and acetone). The UV-Visible absorption spectra of nanoparticles exhibit surface plasmon resonance absorption peak in the UV region. STEM and TEM micrographs were used to evaluate the size and shape of nanoparticles. The stability of silver colloids in terms of oxidation at different liquid media was analyzed by SAED patterns. The results showed that characteristics of Ag nanoparticles and their production rate were strongly influenced by varying laser fluence and liquid medium. Particles from 2 to 80nm of diameter were produced using different conditions and no oxidation was found in ethanol and acetone media. This work puts in evidence a promising approach to produce small nanoparticles by using high laser fluence energy.