Metal nanoparticles and alloys produced by pulsed laser ablation in liquids for photocatalytic remediation

Owing to the worldwide energy and environmental crises, the demand for developing highly pure new materials with various functionalities has increased enormously for the advancement of green energy storage, conversion, production, etc. The growth of a new class of electro- and photocatalysts is largely based on the fabrication methods that support the formation of tailored advanced submicron and nanometer-scaled materials. The evolution of employing pulsed laser ablation (PLA) techniques in liquid medium for the generation of metal nanoparticles has a huge interest in recent years due to its several beneficial behaviors that are close to catalytic activities including cost-effectiveness, facile synthetic route, composition, controlling the size and shape, and defect density, etc. Here, we attempt to discuss the fundamental aspects of the PLA process, its mechanisms, and how the laser parameters are associated with various nanostructures in detail. Also, we provide an insight into the PLA-assisted formation and functions of different categories of catalytic nanomaterials including metal nanoparticles, alloy, core−shell, nonoxides, oxides, etc., and elaborate in detail on photo- and electrocatalytic applications. Finally, the future challenges and directions of the PLA process are emphasized in brief.