Small angle light scattering technique

B. Ernst and P. Navard, Shear flow of liquid-crystalline polymer solutions as investigated by small-angle light scattering techniques, Macromolecules, 23,... 

Bhat et al. (2006) recently developed a new ultra small angle light scattering technique which allows following the phase separation behavior of casein micelles in the presence of xanthan in real time. Such new techniques will be of tremendous help for designing novel composite gels. 

Small-angle light scattering (sals) techniques, 19 568... 

Electron microscopy (5,40,52,63, 64), on the other hand, can provide direct information on the domain structure under favorable conditions, such as when the domains are crystalline. When the samples exhibit a semicrystalline superstructure, small-angle light scattering and polarized microscopy have been used in addition to electron microscopy to study the spherulitic structure. These methods are complemented by differential scanning calorimetry, and various techniques for studying dynamic mechanical behavior which can be interpreted to give additional, if somewhat less direct, information on domain structure. 

Microscopic examination (OM), small angle light scattering (SALS), scanning (SEM) or transmission electron microscopy (TEM) wide (WAXS) and small angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) spectroscopy are other techniques usually necessary to characterize fully the polymer crystal morphology but will not be dwelt upon in this chapter. 

Light scattering is a classical technique used to study solutions (with the necessary difference in refractive index between solvent and solute). This is described in Chapter 2. It is also used for characterization of superstructures (spherulitic, axialitic, etc.) in semicrystalline polymers. The technique is called small-angle light scattering (SALS) and information is obtained about type and size of superstructure (Chapter 7). 

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