Study of colloidal systems by small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering

The application of the elastic small-angle neutron and X-ray scattering methods for studying the structure of colloidal systems is reviewed. The experimental data, which were obtained mainly during the last decade for various colloidal systems, such as dispersions, surfactants, and mixed colloids, are generalized. Special attention was paid to the relationship between the structure factor and the interaction potential between colloidal particles on the basis of the approach having been developed in statistical mechanics to describe the thermodynamics of simple liquids.