An Introduction to Dynamic Light Scattering Microrheology

This white paper introduces microrheology techniques for the rheological characterization of soft complex fluids, with subsequent emphasis on Dynamic Light Scattering (DLS) Microrheology and the underlying theory. Microrheology techniques involve tracking the motion of dispersed probe (or tracer) particles in a complex fluid, to extract local and bulk rheological properties of the matrix. DLS Microrheology is classified as a passive technique, whereby the colloidal probe particles undergo thermal fluctuations in a system at thermodynamic equilibrium, and offers significant measurement advantages for low viscosity, weakly-structured complex fluids.