Influence of cluster morphology on calculation of the aggregation rate constant in mesoscopic systems

The aggregation of monodisperse polystyrene microspheres is studied in processes induced at high salt concentration. Measurements were taken using single-cluster Light scattering (free model technique) and photon correlation spectroscopy. Two cluster growth models were used to study the effect of the cluster morphology on the calculation of the rate constant. The rate constants were measured as a function of the particle concentration in order to control the aggregation time scale. At high particle concentration, rate constant deviations from the theoretical one was observed, which was explained by taking into account the fractal structure of the clusters for early aggregation stages.