Talk:Static light scattering

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There seems to be an error in the Zimm plot section. It is impossible to have a PDI < 1. PDI = Mw/Mn, and the Mw is always greater than or equal to Mn. Was this meant to read PDI < 1.3 maybe?

You are right concerning the PDI of polymers which always have a value larger or equal to 1.0. The section on Zimm plot analysis refers to the polydispersity of sample, which has a the definition $\mu _{2}/{\bar {\Gamma }}^{2}$ and has another meaning as Mw/Mn. i.e. the PDI from DLS is a physical property of a sample in solution due to Brownian motion, while Mw/Mn is a physical property comparing average numbers and molecular masses of a particular (polymer) sample. Maartend8 (talk) 20:45, 26 January 2008 (UTC)[reply]

"Static light scattering" is a generic name for a physical phenomenon. I'm not sure it should be used as the title for an article about one very specific application in polymer chemistry. This should either be part of the light scattering article or it should be called something like "optical molecular weight measurement," which more specifically and accurately describes what the article is about. I would suggest reading scattering, light scattering, and light scattering by particles (among others) and trying to harmonize this article with them. Tarchon (talk) 19:37, 18 February 2011 (UTC)[reply]

Two minor points: grammar and solution chemistry: The main article currently (29-Aug-2013) says, "For static light scattering experiments, a high intensity monochromatic light, usually a laser, is launched in a solution containing the macromolecules." Launched in "... launched in a solution ..." doesn't sound right to me (Eng is my first language). But I don't want describe the physics incorrectly, either. "... is directed through a solution..." "... is passed through a solution..." Can someone fix that up? Throughout the main article, it says "solution" over and over. SLS definitely works for suspensions but I don't know how many colloidal dispersions and colloidal suspensions are ever considered to be solutions, in the chemical sense (a single phase). I think that most occurrences of solution in the main article should be changed to suspension. AdderUser (talk) 14:48, 28 August 2013 (UTC)[reply]