Poly(ethylene terephthalate) nanoparticles prepared by CO2 laser supersonic atomization

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) particles were prepared by the irradiation of PET fibers with a carbon dioxide (CO₂) laser while atomizing them at supersonic velocities. A supersonic jet was generated by blowing air into a vacuum chamber through a fiber injection orifice. The fibers are melted by laser heating and atomized by the supersonic jet at the outlet of the orifice. The PET particles produced by CO₂ laser supersonic atomization conducted at a laser power of 34 W and at a chamber pressure of 10 kPa have an average particle size of 0.619 μm, high circularity, and a smooth surface that is not roughened by laser ablation. The novel CO₂ laser supersonic atomization technique can be used to easily prepare polymeric nanoparticles of various thermoplastic polymers using only CO₂ laser irradiation without the need for solvents and additives. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014 , 131, 40909.