Ergodicity In Static and Dynamic Light Scattering

TL;DR

This paper demonstrates that long-term average scattering data of non-homogeneous nano-particles can be accurately modeled using a homogeneous spherical model, revealing ergodic behavior in static and dynamic light scattering experiments.

Contribution

The study shows that despite the non-homogeneous structure of nano-particles, their scattering behavior can be effectively described by a homogeneous spherical model, indicating ergodicity.

Findings

Long time average data fit homogeneous spherical models

Scattering data are consistent with size distributions from SLS and TEM

Ergodicity observed in scattering experiments of non-homogeneous particles

Abstract

Static Light Scattering (SLS) and Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) are very important techniques to study the characteristics of nano-particles in dispersion. The data of SLS is determined by the optical characteristic and the measured values of DLS are determined by optical and hydrodynamic characteristics of different size nano-particles in dispersion. In general, the nano-particles investigated are considered to be cross-linked soft particles or hyper-branched chains with a three dimensional network structure. Therefore the density of these nano-particles is not homogeneous and the different parts have different optical characteristics. However our experiments reveal that the long time average data of scattered intensity can be perfectly described by homogeneous spherical model. Based on the size distribution obtained using the SLS or TEM technique and the relation between the static and hydrodynamic radii, all the calculated and measured values of $g^{\left( 2\right) }\left( \tau \right) $ investigated are also consistent perfectly. Since the long time average scattered intensity of non-homogeneous spherical nano-particles can be perfectly described by homogeneous spherical model, so the phenomenons of ergodicity happen in our experiments.