CONFORMATION AND DYNAMICS OF COLLOIDAL AGGREGATES IN DETERGENT AND COPOLYMER SYSTEMS

The conformation and dynamics of colloidal aggregates, from small detergent molecules to copolymers in solution may be investigated by combining laser light scattering and (synchrotron) small angle X-ray scattering with measurements of rheological properties of the supramolecules. The inter- and intramolecular interactions may be complex in nature involving, in addition to hydrophobic-hydrophilic interactions, solvent-non-solvent considerations and metal coordination type complexation. Nevertheless, scattering techniques can provide useful information on the size, size distribution and conformation of the aggregates. Studies of microstructures of the colloidal aggregates at dilute concentrations become feasible with intense synchrotron X-rays. Recent investigations of detergent molecules, such as cobalt monooleate in apolar organic solvents, of polymer colloids, such as polystyrene/polyisoprene AB block copolymers, and block copoly(oxyethylene/oxypropylene/oxyethylene) in organic solvents are presented.