The determination of particle size distributions in small-angle scattering using the maximum-entropy method

The ability of the maximum-entropy method to determine accurate particle size distributions from small-angle scattering data is examined in detail. The well known commercial software package MEMS YS2 has been used for the core of the maximum-entropy algorithm to enable the results to be most generally applicable. Differences in its ability to reproduce number, mass and intensity distributions from simulated data are presented. Results for a maximum-entropy-method analysis of experimental small-angle neutron scattering data are examined for self-consistency and agreement with dynamic light scattering data.