Observation of Critical Behaviors in an Elastomeric Protein-Water System

Abstract

The intensity of the scattered light and the turbidity of aqueous solutions of the protein of the elastic fiber, α-elastin have been measured as a function of temperature and concentration. The coexistence curve and the spinodal curve were determined from the turbidity and the angular dependence of the scattered intensity, respectively. These two curves had minima which coincided near the concentration of 0.11 mg/ml and the temperature of 21.5°C. At this point, critical divergences of the forward scattering light intensity and the correlation length were observed.