Light scattering from colloids

Abstract

This paper presents a review of light scattering results on static and dynamic properties of ordered colloidal suspensions of charged polystyrene particles and fractal colloidal aggregates. Our studies on static structure factor, S(Q), of ordered monodisperse colloidal suspensions and binary mixtures of particles with different particle diameters, measured by angle-resolved Rayleigh scattering will be discussed. This will include determination of bulk modulus using gravitational compression and observation of colloidal glass (inferred from splitting of the second peak in S(Q)). Dynamic light scattering, with real time analysis of scattered intensity fluctuations, is used to get information about Brownian dynamics of the particles. Recent advances in the field of light scattering from colloidal aggregates which show fractal geometry will also be discussed.