LAUSR

Characterization of emerging materials is crucial for experimentally driven design of next generation technologies. We describe a cost- and time-effective method for suspending nanoparticles and other photoactive materials in Nafion for transient spectroscopy and time-resolved terahertz (THz) photoconductivity measurements. Nafion is an ideal suspension matrix because it has high transparency throughout the UV/Vis/Near-IR and THz regions of the spectrum. Suspensions of nanoparticles in Nafion require only small amounts of sample (< 5 mg) and can be prepared and deposited in approximately one hour. The suspension is well suited for transient THz measurements, which can be used to determine the photoconductivity spectrum of the embedded nanoparticles. In this work, we used silicon nanoparticles as a model material to demonstrate the efficacy of Nafion suspensions for transient THz spectroscopy. This methodology can be used for rapid and cost-effective measurements of emerging materials such as solar materials, electrocatalysts, and nanomaterials.