Measurement of the absorption coefficient of scattering liquid media by the calorimetric method

Using the example of a number of hydrosols (gold nanorods and nanoshells, silver nanoshells, zinc phthalocyanine nanoparticles), we show that the absorption coefficient of a scattering liquid medium can be measured from its heating by a short-time laser irradiation. The degree of heating was determined from expansion of the liquid in an ampoule with a capillary (the principle of liquid thermometer). Irradiation was performed at a wavelength of 671 or 1069 nm. From the transmission of samples of hydrosols at these wave-lengths, the sum of the absorption and scattering coefficients has been determined. To measure the absorption spectra of scattering liquids by this method, a laser with a tunable radiation wavelength is required. In the case of monodisperse colloidal solutions, the method ensures the measurement of the absorption and scattering cross-section ratio of particles.