Crystallography Research Today is a free monthly online journal that collates and summarizes the latest research about Crystallography, including details on x-ray crystals, techniques, analyses, structures.

Microfluidics of soft matter investigated by small-angle X-ray scattering.

Otten A, Köster S, Struth B, Snigirev A, Pfohl T

Applied Physics Department, University of Ulm, Albert-Einstein-Allee 11, 89069 Ulm, Germany.

The combination of X-ray microdiffraction and microfluidics is used to investigate the dynamic behaviour of soft materials. A microfocused X-ray beam enables the observation of the influence of droplet formation on the nanostructure of a smectic liquid crystal in water. Using a hydrodynamic focusing device, the evolution of the intercalation of DNA into multilamellar membranes can be studied. Owing to the elongational flow at the centre of this device, alignment of the material is induced which allows for an improved structural characterization. Furthermore, the influence of strain applied to these materials can be tested.

Published 21 October 2005 in J Synchrotron Radiat, 12: 745-50.
Full-text of this article is available online (may require subscription).

© 2005-2008 Crystallography Research Today. All Rights Reserved.