Blue and green luminescence from layered zinc hydroxide/dodecyl sulfate hybrid nanosheets

A plasma plume consisting of metal ions and atoms induced by laser ablation of metal Zn can react strongly with the molecules it encounters in liquid solutions. We report the liquid-phase laser ablation-induced synthesis of ZnO nanoparticles and layered zinc hydroxide/dodecyl sulfate (ZnHDS) hybrid nanosheets using a fundamental 1064-nm nanosecond laser. A large amount of ZnHDS nanosheets, together with a small amount of Zn nanospheres and ZnO nanoparticles, could be produced from sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solutions. Thermally induced vaporization of Zn species is favorable for the formation of ZnHDS nanosheets in SDS solutions and ZnO nanoparticles in pure water, while the explosive boiling and ejection of melting Zn droplets is responsible for the formation of sphere-like Zn particles. Photoluminescence measurements of ensemble or individual ablated products reveal that hybrid ZnHDS nanosheets assembled from metastable β-Zn(OH)2 and DS− ions show strong blue and green luminescence under UV-light excitation.