Abstract: | The authors describe small-angle neutron scattering measurements of the screening length ζ in polyacrylamide-water gels. Although these are inhomogeneous systems, the screening length is clearly observable and is in good numerical agreement with the relation E = 3kT/4πζ3, where E is the longitudinal elastic modulus of the gel obtained from measurements of the intensity of qu-asielastically scattered light. Static light scattering observations reveal a larger-scale (ca. 30 nm) superstructure in the gel. |