Structure Data from Light Scattering Studies of Aerogel

Abstract

ABSTRACTThis paper reports a recent advance in the understanding of the structure of microporous optical materials such as aerogel through the interpretation of light scattering data. The Fourier transform of the densitydensity correlation function is used to relate measurements of the angular dependence of scattered light to material structure parameters. The results of the approach fit the unusual dependence of the intensity of scattered light as a function of angle for two polarizations. The fit shows that light scattering from aerogels may be interpreted as having two origins; one from the small scale structure of linked particles that comprise the material, and the second due to weak fluctuations in the average density of the microporous structure over distances significantly larger than the pore size.