Quasi-elastic light scattering and small-angle X-ray scattering study of a mixture of a biopolymer with microemulsion

The correlation function of light scattering is studied on a mixture of poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and AOT/n-decane/water microemulsion. The relaxation time and collective diffusion coefficient of nanodroplets are obtained from the correlation function of a mixture of PLA and microemulsion. The different concentration and length scale of PLA is mixed with microemulsion. The increase of length scale and concentration of PLA can slowdown the dynamics of nanodroplets, and it can be increased by the attractive interaction between nanodroplets on microemulsion. The study of the structure of nanodroplets by small-angle X-ray scattering experiments shows that increasing of PLA on microemulsion cannot change the size of the droplets, but it can change the interaction between the droplets; the same results are found with light scattering experiments. © 2014 © 2014 Taylor & Francis.