Dynamic compressibility and third-order optical nonlinearities in carbon/metal-based nanofluids

Abstract

The influence of the superposition of two high-irradiance optical beams on the mechanical properties exhibited by carbon nanotubes decorated with platinum nanoparticles was analyzed. The change in density, compressibility modulus and acoustic velocity in the samples suspended in acetone and ethanol was estimated by measuring the nonlinear refractive index tested by a two-wave mixing experiment. The nanotubes were prepared by a spray pyrolysis processing route and the metal decoration was carried by chemical vapor deposition. High-Resolution Transmission Electron Microscopy studies confirmed the multiwall nature of the carbon nanotubes; while energy-dispersive X-ray spectroscopy reveals the separated presence of platinum nanoparticles incorporated to the hybrid nanostructures. An Nd-YAG laser system emitting at 532 nm wavelength with 4 ns pulse duration was used for conducting the third-order nonlinear optical evaluations by a standard optical Kerr gate technique. Comparative experiments showed that the composition of the liquid solution plays an important role in the manipulation of the density exhibited by the nanofluids. Remarkably, the incorporation of Pt in the tubes originates stronger changes of the mechanical characteristics induced by optical nonlinearities in the nanofluids irradiated by nanosecond pulses. Within this work, it is highlighted that potential applications for developing multivalent logic operations by fuzzy mechano-optic effects exhibited by nanofluids can be contemplated.