Thermoplasmonic Nano–Hybrid Core@Shell Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> Films Engineered via One–Step Flame Spray Pyrolysis

Thermoplasmonic heat generation by silver (Ag) nanoparticles can harness visible light to efficiently produce localized heating. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) is a powerful one-step synthesis technology for fabricating plasmonic Ag-based nanostructures. In the present study, we employed FSP to enginee...

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Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Christos Dimitriou, Yiannis Deligiannakis
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: MDPI AG 2025-05-01
Series:Nanomaterials
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Online Access:https://www.mdpi.com/2079-4991/15/10/743
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Summary:Thermoplasmonic heat generation by silver (Ag) nanoparticles can harness visible light to efficiently produce localized heating. Flame spray pyrolysis (FSP) is a powerful one-step synthesis technology for fabricating plasmonic Ag-based nanostructures. In the present study, we employed FSP to engineer core@shell Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> nanoparticles coated with an ultrathin (1–2 nm) silica (SiO<sub>2</sub>) nanolayer in a single step <i>in tandem</i> with their deposition as films onto solid substrates. Accordingly, we engineered a library of Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> nanofilms with precisely controlled thicknesses in the range of 1–23 μm. A systematic study of the thermoplasmonic heat-generation efficiency (ΔT) of the films under visible-light irradiation (LED, λ = 405 nm) revealed that the films’ compactness and thickness are key parameters governing the heat-generation efficiency and thermal response rate. Moreover, we show that the substrate type can also play a key role; Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> films on glass-fiber filters (PGFFs) enabled faster temperature increase (dT/dt) and a higher maximum temperature gain (ΔT<sub>max</sub>) compared with Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> films on glass substrates (PGSs). The photothermal conversion efficiencies were approximately 60%, with the highest efficiency (η = 65%) observed in the thinner impinged film. This study demonstrates that FSP-derived Ag@SiO<sub>2</sub> nanofilms provide a versatile and scalable platform for thermoplasmonic heat generation applications with significant industrial potential.
ISSN:2079-4991