Lock‐In Thermography to Analyze Plasmonic Nanoparticle Dispersions

The physicochemical properties of nanoparticles (NPs) strongly rely on their colloidal stability, and any given dispersion can display remarkably different features, depending on whether it contains single particles or clusters. Thus, developing efficient experimental methods that are able to provide accurate and reproducible measures of the NP properties is a considerable challenge for both research and industrial development. By analyzing different NPs, through size and concentration, it is demonstrated that lock-in thermography, based on light absorption and heat generation, is able to detect and differentiate the distinct aggregation and re-dispersion behavior of plasmonic NPs, e.g., gold and silver. Most importantly, the approach is nonintrusive and potentially highly cost-effective compared to standard analytical techniques.