Unraveling the fundamentals of pulsed laser-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials in liquids: Applications in energy and the environment

Nanomaterials with high purity and functionality are in high demand for diverse applications in the energy and environmental domains, making them an intensively researched issue. The production of novel electro- and photoactive nanomaterials has been profoundly influenced by synthetic routes that make possible the development of surface and crystalline-tuned advanced materials. The significant size and textural tailored properties of materials synthesized through laser interaction with matter have emerged as a promising synthetic technique. The high-power pulsed laser-assisted synthesis of nanomaterials in liquids provides many degrees of parameter control (i.e., pulsed laser power, wavelength, reaction time duration, laser pulse repetition rate, and solvent) and numerous advantages over traditional physical and chemical synthetic methods, such as high purity, no byproducts, simple, nontoxic, and no need for surfactants and reducing agents. We first focused on the fundamental insights into the mechanism of pulsed laser techniques in depth in this paper, taking into account various experimental conditions to accelerate hypotheses that are appropriate for the production of efficient nanomaterials. We focused on the advancement of electro- and photoactive nanomaterials using pulsed laser synthetic technologies, which allowed us to reveal detailed mechanistic and textural properties as well as effective applications in energy and environmental processes. Finally, the challenges and possible future prospects for the emerging field of pulsed laser-based nanomaterials are concisely proposed.