Parameters for Fabricating Nano-Au Colloids through the Electric Spark Discharge Method with Micro-Electrical...

In this study, the Electric Spark Discharge Method (ESDM) was employed with micro-electrical discharge machining (m-EDM) to create an electric arc that melted two electrodes in deionized water (DW) and fabricated nano-Au colloids through pulse discharges with a controlled on-off duration (T_ON-T_OFF) and a total fabrication time of 1 min. A total of six on-off settings were tested under normal experimental conditions and without the addition of any chemical substances. Ultraviolet-visible spectroscopy (UV-Vis), Zetasizer Nano measurements, and scanning electron microscopy-energy dispersive X-ray (SEM-EDX) analyses suggested that the nano-Au colloid fabricated at 10-10 µs (10 µs on, 10 µs off) had higher concentration and suspension stability than products made at other T_ON-T_OFF settings. The surface plasmon resonance (SPR) of the colloid was 549 nm on the first day of fabrication and stabilized at 532 nm on the third day. As the T_ON-T_OFF period increased, the absorbance (i.e., concentration) of all nano-Au colloids decreased. Absorbance was highest at 10-10 µs. The SPR peaks stabilized at 532 nm across all T_ON-T_OFF periods. The Zeta potential at 10-10 µs was -36.6 mV, indicating that no nano-Au agglomeration occurred and that the particles had high suspension stability.