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Oral or Poster Contributed Presentation

BIM

BIM04: Optical Point-of-Use Technologies for Automated Biomedical and Life-Sciences Analysis

Surface-Stabilized LIBS (SS-LIBS): Improved Reproducibility and Sensitivity in Fine Powders Analysis

Tuesday, October 7, 2025
2:50 PM - 3:10 PM EDT
Location: Meeting Room #1
In fifteen words or less, explain the significance of this contribution (Novel Aspect).: Surface-stabilized LIBS enhances reproducibility and sensitivity for fine particles using optimized epoxy coatings.

Abstract Text:

Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy (LIBS) is a versatile and rapid elemental analysis technique that utilizes high-energy laser pulses to generate plasma on a sample surface. The characteristic atomic emission lines emitted as plasma cools provide qualitative and quantitative information about the target's elemental composition. While LIBS is well known for its speed, minimal sample preparation, multi-elemental detection capabilities, and real-time analysis, the analysis of fine powders, particularly those in the range of micron and submicron particle sizes, often suffers from poor reproducibility due to the displacement and splashing of particles during laser ablation.
To solve this problem, we introduce a surface-stabilized-LIBS (SS-LIBS) method that uses a very thin layer of epoxy coating to help particles stick better and stay in place. We systematically investigated the effect of the volumetric ratio of epoxy hardener to ethanol, used as a diluent, and identified an optimal ratio of approximately 1:750 (v/v) for 0.5-micron-sized particles. This formulation significantly improved both the reproducibility and sensitivity of LIBS measurements by minimizing particle dispersion.
Additionally, we explored how particle size and substrate matrix composition influence the efficacy of this stabilization strategy. The presence and uniformity of the epoxy layer were confirmed using Raman and Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) techniques. This SS-LIBS method provides a promising solution to improve the accuracy and reliability of LIBS analysis for fine particulate systems, with potential applications across materials science and biomedical diagnostics, particularly in improving the sensitivity of LIBS-based immunoassays.