Polymer-Nanomaterial Composites for Optoacoustic Conversion

This chapter introduces the theoretical consideration of optoacoustic generation in polymer-nanomaterial composites with emphasis on heat transfer from light absorbers to neighboring media. It highlights the recent progress in optoacoustic applications based on the composites. Carbon materials embedded within transparent polymers have shown very efficient optoacoustic conversion, as this combination enables both good light absorption and thermal expansion. There are several polymer composites developed by combining with light-absorbing carbon materials such as carbon black, graphite, carbon fiber, carbon nanotube (CNT), and reduced graphene oxide (rGO), all showing significant improvement in optoacoustic conversion. Specifically, optoacoustic pulses produced in the nanocomposites are characterized as strong and broad acoustic signals that allow therapeutic and imaging applications. Moreover, carbon-based nanocomposites provide a photoacoustic means in detecting terahertz light pulses. Optoacoustic composites for most applications should have high optoacoustic conversion and mechanical robustness for high-amplitude optoacoustic signals.