https://doi.org/10.1140/epjp/s13360-025-07231-x
Regular Article
Synthesis and characterization of Cu–Sn nanoparticles by pulsed laser ablation in liquid for gas sensing and antibacterial applications
Department of Physics, College of Science, University of Baghdad, Baghdad, Iraq
a
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Received:
11
November
2025
Accepted:
17
December
2025
Published online:
3
January
2026
Abstract
In this work, Cu–Sn nanoparticles were synthesized from an 80% Cu–20% Sn metallic alloy using pulsed laser ablation in liquid (PLAL) at three laser fluences (500, 700, and 900 mJ). The effect of laser energy on structural, optical, and functional properties was systematically investigated. UV–Vis spectroscopy revealed enhanced absorption and bandgap narrowing from 1.66 to 1.48 eV as fluence increased, indicating improved crystallinity and enhanced semiconductor behavior. XRD analysis confirmed the formation of Cu-based crystalline phases, while FE-SEM and AFM results showed spherical nanoparticles with the highest uniformity at 700 mJ and aggregation at 900 mJ. EDX, zeta-potential, and AAS measurements verified the fluence-dependent surface composition, colloidal stability, and metal-oxide concentration. Antibacterial tests against Klebsiella pneumoniae and Streptococcus mutans demonstrated improved inhibition efficiency with increasing laser fluence, with the strongest activity at 900 mJ due to enhanced ion release and ROS generation. Meanwhile, NO2-sensing evaluation revealed the highest room-temperature response for the 700 mJ sample, attributed to optimized particle size, surface chemistry, and dispersion stability. Overall, PLAL-synthesized Cu–Sn nanoparticles exhibited tunable dual-functional performance, where 700 mJ provided optimal room-temperature gas-sensing properties, while 900 mJ maximized the antibacterial efficiency. These results demonstrate the potential of Cu–Sn nanoparticle-based nanostructures for environmental gas monitoring, antimicrobial coatings, and water-treatment applications.
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© The Author(s), under exclusive licence to Società Italiana di Fisica and Springer-Verlag GmbH Germany, part of Springer Nature 2026
Springer Nature or its licensor (e.g. a society or other partner) holds exclusive rights to this article under a publishing agreement with the author(s) or other rightsholder(s); author self-archiving of the accepted manuscript version of this article is solely governed by the terms of such publishing agreement and applicable law.
