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Measurement of Particle Size Distribution in Turbid Solutions by Dynamic Light Scattering Microscopy
Published on: January 9, 2017
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Toward time resolved dynamic light scattering microscopy: Retrieving particle size distributions at high temporal
Oscar Urquidi1, Natercia Barbosa1, Johanna Brazard1
1Department of Physical Chemistry, Sciences II, University of Geneva, 30, Quai Ernest Ansermet, 1211 Geneva, Switzerland.
The Review of Scientific Instruments
|August 1, 2023
Summary
This study introduces a novel dynamic light scattering microscopy (micro-DLS) setup for rapid particle size characterization. The system achieves sub-100 ms time windows, significantly enhancing temporal resolution for dynamic systems.
Area of Science:
- Materials Science
- Nanotechnology
- Physical Chemistry
Background:
- Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) is crucial for nanoscale particle size analysis in solution.
- Traditional DLS is limited to static systems, hindering the study of time-evolving phenomena.
- There is a growing need for DLS techniques with improved temporal resolution.
Purpose of the Study:
- To develop and present a DLS microscopy setup (micro-DLS) with significantly enhanced temporal resolution.
- To enable accurate particle size characterization in sub-100 ms time windows.
- To expand DLS applications to temporally evolving systems.
Main Methods:
- Implementation of a DLS microscopy setup.
- Utilizing time-correlated single photon counting for precise photon arrival time registration.
- Construction of autocorrelation functions from user-defined time windows (sub-100 ms).
Main Results:
- The micro-DLS setup accurately characterized monomodal (60-220 nm PS) and multimodal (20 nm LUDOX + 80 nm PS) particle size distributions.
- High accuracy was achieved within sub-100 ms time windows.
- Shorter time windows resulted in narrower size distributions, indicating the resolution of sub-ensembles.
Conclusions:
- The developed micro-DLS system offers unprecedented temporal resolution for particle sizing.
- This advancement enables the study of dynamic processes in systems previously inaccessible to DLS.
- The enhanced temporal resolution will broaden DLS applications beyond static systems.
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