Domain-size effects in optical diffraction from polymer/composite microparticles
Poly(ethylene glycol) [PEG] microparticles were doped with ceramic or latex nanoparticles in order to examine domain-size and refractive index effects of nanometer-sized guest inclusions on two-dimensional diffraction patterns. Composite microparticles were examined for different inclusion sizes and polymer/nanoparticle weight ratios in order to determine the size and number-density threshold of detection for guest nanoparticles within the polymer host as indicated by fringe distortion in 2-D angular scattering. PEG host particles having a 10 {micro}m (nominal) diameter were formed with three different guest nanoparticles (Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}, TiO{sub 2}, and latex nanospheres with respective sizes of 46, 29, and 14 nm). For the ceramic nanoparticle inclusions, distortion was observed at relative guest-host weight fractions of 5--10%. For the 14 nm latex inclusions, no distortion was observed at any weight fraction. A perturbation method was used to simulate the effect of nanometer-size inclusions on 2-D optical diffraction from polymer host microparticles and to suggest how the distortions should vary with inclusion size, refractive index, and number.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (US)
- Sponsoring Organization:
- USDOE
- DOE Contract Number:
- AC05-96OR22464
- OSTI ID:
- 20017486
- Journal Information:
- Journal of Physical Chemistry B: Materials, Surfaces, Interfaces, amp Biophysical, Vol. 104, Issue 3; Other Information: PBD: 27 Jan 2000; ISSN 1089-5647
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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