Small-angle X-ray scattering with imaging plate application to dilute polymer solutions

A new small-angle X-ray scattering apparatus with a pinhole slit collimation camera and an imaging plate detector was constructed and tested with two polystyrene samples of molecular weights 1 × 104 and 2 × 104 in cyclohexane at 34.5°C (the theta point) and toluene at 15°C and also with aqueous aurous colloids. This apparatus requires no desmearing procedure. Its usefulness for polymer solution studies is demonstrated by the measured radii of gyration and scattering functions.