Different scattering techniques dynamic light scattering (DLS), small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS) and small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) have been used to characterize a water-based surfactant stabilized ferrofluid having ferrite (F~04) particles coated with oleic acid. DLS gives the overall size of the particle along with the thickness of the surfactant (oleic acid) coating and water of hydration attached to the particle. SAXS only measures the size of the ferrite particle due to poor contrast of surfactant coating for X-rays. SANS with the possibility to vary the contrast provides both the size of the ferrite particle and the thickness of the surfactant coating on the particle. Keywords: Ferrofluid, dynamic light scattering, small-angle scattering. V.K. Aswall, s. N. Chodankarl, P.U. Sastryl, P.A. Hassan2 and R.V. Upadhyal 1Solid State Physics Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India 2Chemistry Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai 400 085, India 3Department of Physics, Bhavnagar University, Bhavnagar 364 002, India
