Synthesis of ceramic nanoparticles by laser pyrolysis: From research to applications

Nanoparticles are the building blocks of many approaches for realizing nanostructured materials and devices. The technique of CO2 laser pyrolysis of gas- or vapour-phase precursors for the synthesis of nanoparticles has proven to be a very flexible and versatile technique which permits to cope with several challenges in different sectors of nanotechnology. Different kinds of pyrolytic nanopowders with average size in the range 5–60 nm and a narrow size distribution, have been produced and tested for the fabrication of structural materials and/or for functional applications in various fields. Here we report new results on the synthesis of SiC, TiO2 and SiO2 nanoparticles for energetic applications and cultural heritage preservation.