Scaling analysis of the concentration dependence on elasticity of agarose gel

Since the critical exponent of the elastic modulus is related to the spatia l dimension and the critical exponent of the correlation length, depending on the characteristics of elasticity; we experimentally evaluated both the elastic modulus of a sol-gel transition system and also the correlation len gth. We could determine the correlation length of agarose gel by the dynami c light scattering method; it was well described by the power law as a func tion of the deviation from the sol-gel transition point. Three scaling laws between the critical exponent of the correlation length (v) and that of th e elastic shear modulus (t) were compared, and the critical exponent of the elastic modulus was described by the equation of de Gennes expression (t=1 + v(d-2), where d is the spatial dimension). This result suggests that agar ose fibers are stiff enough to show scalar elasticity.