Bragg Diffraction as an Indicator of Hydrogel Crystal Uniformity

This is a study on the use of Bragg diffraction from hydrogel crystals to determine characteristics of growth and uniformity of the crystalline structure. One part of the successful application of hydrogels lies in a better understanding of their crystallization process. This can be done by examining the diffraction pattern generated from projecting a laser on a sample during the stages of crystal formation. The typical spacing in a hydrogel crystal is on the order of hundreds to thousands of nanometers, allowing the utilization of visible spectrum lasers for diffraction studies.