https://doi.org/10.1007/s100510050188
Scattering from small colloidal particles in a semidilute polymer solution
FOM Institute for Atomic and Molecular Physics,
Kruislaan 407, 1098 SJ Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Corresponding author: a sear@chem.ucla.edu
Received:
7
July
1997
Revised:
12
November
1997
Accepted:
19
November
1997
Published online: 15 February 1998
The correlations between the segments of a semidilute polymer solution are found to induce correlations in the positions of small particles added to the solution. Small means a diameter much less than the polymer's correlation length. In the presence of polymer the particles behave as if they attracted each other. It is shown how the polymer's correlation length may be determined from a scattering experiment performed on the spheres.
PACS: 61.25.Hq – Macromolecular and polymer solutions; polymer melts; swelling / 83.70.Hq – Heterogeneous liquids: suspensions, dispersions, emulsions, pastes, slurries, foams, block copolymers, etc.
© EDP Sciences, Società Italiana di Fisica, Springer-Verlag, 1998