FROZEN-IN INTENSITY FLUCTUATIONS OF LIGHT SCATTERED BY PARTIALLY-IONIZED GELS

We report results of static light scattering for partially ionized gel s at different cross-link densities and different swelling degrees and for the corresponding semi-dilute solutions. The r.m.s. fluctuations of the scattered intensity obtained when scanning through various posi tions in the gels is proportional to the excess of scattering of the g el with respect to the semi-dilute solution, whatever the method used to vary the ratio of the actual swelling degree to its equilibrium val ue, i.e. varying the cross-link density or the swelling extent. The ex cess of scattering is attributed to a frozen-in component associated w ith scattering domains with a spatial extent less than approximately 3 00 angstrom.