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The inverse contrast variation in small‐angle neutron scattering: a sensitive technique for the evaluation of lipid phase diagrams
Author(s) -
Knoll W.,
Schmidt G.,
Ibel K.
Publication year - 1985
Publication title -
journal of applied crystallography
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.429
H-Index - 162
ISSN - 1600-5767
DOI - 10.1107/s0021889885009840
Subject(s) - deuterium , neutron scattering , small angle neutron scattering , mole fraction , phase (matter) , neutron , chemistry , contrast (vision) , resolution (logic) , scattering , analytical chemistry (journal) , materials science , crystallography , chromatography , optics , physics , nuclear physics , organic chemistry , artificial intelligence , computer science
Small‐angle neutron scattering experiments have been performed with aqueous dispersions of binary lipid mixtures. One component was protonated, the other was partly deuterated. By varying the mole fraction of the deuterated species the mean scattering‐length density of the lipid lamellas and hence the contrast between liposomes and the solvent was changed. It is shown that this inverse contrast variation has the advantage of (i) a simpler data analysis, (ii) an increased resolution of homogeneous and heterogenous lipid distributions and (iii) a considerably increased sensitivity for the evaluation of phase diagrams in segregated lipid mixtures. Phase boundaries can now be determined to an accuracy of better than 1 mol%.