Investigations toward highly absorbing particulate aerosols with minimal total scattering in the UV spectral region

In this computational and experimental study, we investigate appropriate available particulate materials dispersed as aerosols using two in-situ methods of dispersal in a search for maximal absorption and minimal scattering, with an objective of obtaining less than one percent total scattering in the UV spectral region (300–400 nm). Fifteen commercial carbon nano-particulate materials have been investigated and categorized according to their extinction efficiencies and scattering percentages when measured in-situ. The extinction efficiencies were measured both in liquid suspensions, which allows various mechanisms for particle separation, and in-situ. The size distributions were produced, and the corresponding scattering percentages of the extinction efficiencies were calculated, using the discrete dipole–dipole approximation theory. This study shows that high efficiency particles with no more than a few percent total scattering could be aerosolized in-situ in the UV spectral region.