Light scattering from coloured systems: an example of polyaniline dispersions

Static light scattering of highly diluted dispersions in 0.005 M H₂SO₄ was used to determine particle parameters of polyaniline dispersions stabilized with colloidal silica. The refractive index of polyaniline n = 1.8 and the refractive index increment (dn/dc) = 0.22 cm³g⁻¹ at λ = 532 nm were determined. The light scattering data are affected by the absorption of the green polyaniline and by a small amount of aggregates. The absorption has a negligible effect on the results. The influence of the aggregates was corrected by using the intensity‐weighed size distributions determined by dynamic light scattering at different angles and by the two‐component separation in static light scattering. Both procedures yield the same result.