WANG, YIRU2020-08-252020-08-252019-03https://hdl.handle.net/11299/215108University of Minnesota Ph.D. dissertation.March 2019. Major: Mechanical Engineering. Advisor: John Bischof. 1 computer file (PDF); 155 pages.Gold nanoparticles (GNP) are widely used for biomedical applications due to their unique optical properties, established synthesis methods, and biological compatibility. The tunable surface plasmon resonance in a wide range (visible to NIR) makes GNP a favorable heat generator for photothermal hyperthermic treatment and many emerging new fields. All of these biomedical applications rely on geometry, concentration, distribution and interaction with the media to create bulk heat generation. This heat generation is usually estimated under idealized condition assumptions. However, under real conditions the GNP is polydisperse in size, the distribution is not homogeneous, and the media is absorbing and scattering. Currently we are unaware of any standard methods that systematically studies the non-idealized factors for GNP heating system. It is our interest to address this need by providing precise measurement approaches of GNP heating a highly scattering membrane and aqua solution – the integrating sphere spectrophotometry approach and cuvette laser calorimetry. They are applied to characterize a Thermal Contrast Amplification Reader and the effect of GNP aggregation. Both methods can be extended to other non-idealized conditions such as gel, cell suspension and GNP laden tissues or tumor. This work aims to provide reproducible, simple and precise evaluation of bulk heat generation in paper-based and solution GNP laden systems and example of application for evolving applications in preservation, diagnostics and therapeutics.endiscrete dipole approximationGold nanoparticleIn vitro diagnosticslateral flow immunoassayPhotothermal heatingthermal contrast amplificationThesis or Dissertation