On the aggregation of mixtures of long and short chain molecules

The results of a series of experiments on the aggregation of long ( C20−) and short (C2−) chain alkanes in mixtures of the two are presented. By labelling the two types of chain with atoms of different scattering power, the interaction and location of each can be identified. It is found that the short chains, when in large concentration, group into satellite appendages of the long chain aggregates; the resultant aggregation schemes are quite complex. From an x-ray viewpoint, the technique allows the scattering to be put on an absolute basis such that it can be resolved into its individual components without the use of Fourier transform methods.