Surface and mass fractals in vapor-phase aggregates

Journal Article · Sun Mar 01 04:00:00 EST 1987 · Phys. Rev. A; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1103/PhysRevA.35.2361· OSTI ID:6647942

Hurd, A J; Schaefer, D W; Martin, J E

Several types of fumed-silica aggregates with differing surface areas were studied over a wide range of spatial resolution by employing both light and neutron scattering. At intermediate length scales, between 100 and 1000 A, the aggregates are mass fractals with D/sub m/approx. =1.7--2.0, in basic agreement with simulations of aggregating clusters. At short length scales below 100 A where the nature of the surfaces of the primary particles dominates the scattering, some of the samples appear to be fractally rough. In particular, a higher surface area seems to be correlated not with smaller primary particles in the aggregates, as previously assumed, but with fractally rough surfaces having D/sub s/ as high as 2.5. These may be the first materials discovered to have both mass and surface fractal structure.

• Research Organization: Sandia National Laboratories, Albuquerque, New Mexico, 87185
• OSTI ID: 6647942
• Journal Information: Phys. Rev. A; (United States), Journal Name: Phys. Rev. A; (United States) Vol. 35:5; ISSN PLRAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

36 MATERIALS SCIENCE
360601* -- Other Materials-- Preparation & Manufacture
656003 -- Condensed Matter Physics-- Interactions between Beams & Condensed Matter-- (1987-)
75 CONDENSED MATTER PHYSICS
SUPERCONDUCTIVITY AND SUPERFLUIDITY
AEROSOLS
AGGLOMERATION
CHALCOGENIDES
COHERENT SCATTERING
COLLOIDS
DIFFRACTION
DISPERSIONS
LIGHT SCATTERING
MINERALS
NEUTRON DIFFRACTION
OXIDE MINERALS
OXIDES
OXYGEN COMPOUNDS
PARTICLE SIZE
SCATTERING
SILICA
SILICON COMPOUNDS
SILICON OXIDES
SIZE
SOLID CLUSTERS
SOLS
SOOT
SURFACE AREA
SURFACE PROPERTIES