Optical flow-through high pressure cell for light scattering investigations

An optical flow-through/stop-flow high pressure cell has been constructed f or static and dynamic light scattering investigations. The cell is especial ly designed for investigations in supercritical fluids. Angular dependence of scattered light intensity can be measured in principle stepwise between 0 degrees and 360 degrees. Fused quartz as window material allows polarized as well as depolarized measurements to study relaxation functions due to t ranslational or rotational motions. The temperature range 25-100 degrees C and the pressure range of up to 60 MPa make this cell well suited for studi es of polymeric materials in supercritical solvents. Dynamic light scatteri ng results of a solution of polydimethylsiloxane in sc-CO2 at a pressure of 40 MPa are presented to show the capabilities of the apparatus. (C) 2000 A merican Institute of Physics. [S0034-6748(00)04906-6].